Brennan v Duncan [2006] NSWSC 674

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Brennan v Duncan [2006] NSWSC 674

HEARING DATE(S) : 26 & 27/06/06

JUDGMENT DATE : 27 June 2006

JURISDICTION : Equity Division

JUDGMENT OF : White J

EX TEMPORE JUDGMENT DATE : 06/27/2006

DECISION : Proceedings stood over to 9.30am Tuesday, 1 August 2006 for Short Minutes of Order and costs argument.

CATCHWORDS : EQUITY – Trusts and trustees – Implied trusts – Resulting trusts – Plaintiff and defendant were in de facto relationship – Plaintiff and defendant purchased property as joint tenants – Plaintiff contributed disproportionately to purchase price of property – Defendant contributed disproportionately to payment of plaintiff's personal expenses – Plaintiff and defendant separated – Joint tenancy severed – Whether defendant holds entirety of interest in property on resulting trust for plaintiff – Whether property held on resulting trust in proportion to parties' contributions to purchase price – Presumption that property held on resulting trust – Evidence of parties' actual intentions – Presumption rebutted – Plaintiff's claim rejected - EQUITY – Trusts and trustees – Implied trusts – Constructive trusts – Plaintiff's contribution to purchase price made immediately prior to termination of parties' de facto relationship – Whether plaintiff's contribution to purchase price made in expectation of continuing relationship – Whether defendant holds interest in property on constructive trust for plaintiff on principles in Baumgartner v Baumgartner (1987) 164 CLR 137 – Constructive trust found – Plaintiff's claim made out.

Baumgartner v Baumgartner (1987) 164 CLR 137 Ingram v Ingram (1941) VLR 95 Currie v Hamilton [1984] 1 NSWLR 687 Calverley v Green (1984) 155 CLR 242 Ryan v Dries [2002] NSWCA 3 Bloch v Bloch (1981) 180 CLR 390 Muschinski v Dodds (1985) 160 CLR 583 CASES CITED : West v Mead [2003] NSWSC 161 Anshun v Anshun [2004] NSWSC 766 Morris v Morris (1982) 1 NSWLR 61 Forgeard v Shanahan (1994) 35 NSWLR 206 Black Uhlans Inc v New South Wales Crime Commission [2002] NSWSC 1060 Shephard v Cartwright (1955) AC 431 Charles Marshall Pty Ltd v Grimsley (1956) 95 CLR 353 Brown v Brown (1993) 31 NSWLR 582 Bryson v Bryant (1992) 29 NSWLR 188