Guttershield v LBI Holdings [2004] NSWSC 941

Reported Decision : 63 IPR 407

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Guttershield v LBI Holdings [2004] NSWSC 941 HEARING DATE(S) : 27/9/04 - 30/9/04, 5/10/04 JUDGMENT DATE : 25 October 2004 JURISDICTION: Equity JUDGMENT OF : Campbell J DECISION : Plaintiff entitled to become registered as one-third owner of patents, subject to conditions.

CATCHWORDS : CONTRACTS - construction of particular contract concerning ownership of intellectual property - INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY - patents - where two or more patentees - rights of one of the patentees to deal in goods embodying the invention - TRUSTS - constructive trusts - attaching to intellectual property to ensure that agreement relating to ownership of intellectual property adhered to - appropriate conditions for grant of equitable relief Copyright Act 1968 (Cth) LEGISLATION CITED : Patents Acts 1990 (Cth) Supreme Court Act 1970 Codelfa Construction Proprietary Limited v State Rail Authority of New South Wales (1982) 149 CLR 337 Carson v Wood (1994) 34 NSWLR 9 CASES CITED : NZI Capital Corporation Pty Ltd v Child (1991) 23 NSWLR 481 Watson v Foxman; Commonwealth Bank of Australia v Foxman Holdings Pty Ltd (Receiver and Manager Appointed) (2000) 49 NSWLR 315 Blanco White, Patents for Inventions, 4th ed (1974) Lahore, Patents, Trade Marks and Related Rights Guttershield Systems Australia Pty Ltd - First Plaintiff/First Cross-Defendant Guttershield Pty Ltd - Second Plaintiff/Second Cross-Defendant PARTIES : LBI Holdings Pty Ltd - First Defendant/First Cross-Claimant Leafbusters Pty Ltd - Second Defendant/Second Cross-Claimant Bruce Wickett - Third Cross-Defendant FILE NUMBER(S) : SC 5724/02 COUNSEL : G Grinter - Plaintiffs/Cross-Defendants D E Grieve QC; S Reuben - Defendants/Cross-Claimants SOLICITORS : John Brent & Co - Plaintiffs/Cross-Defendants Denes Ebner - Defendants/Cross-Claimants