Wexford Pty Ltd v Praveen Meckraj Doolub & Ors [2008] NSWSC 952

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Wexford Pty Ltd v Praveen Meckraj Doolub & Ors [2008] NSWSC 952

HEARING DATE(S) : 9/09/08, 10/09/08, 11/09/08

JUDGMENT DATE : 15 September 2008

JURISDICTION : Equity Division Commercial List

JUDGMENT OF : Einstein J

DECISION : Motion to be relisted for further submissions.

CATCHWORDS : Civil contempt - Breach of Mareva Injunction - Payments out of solicitors trust account - Criminal standard of proof - Differences in procedure still exist between civil and criminal contempt proceedings - Characterisation of civil and criminal contempt - Ambiguity in Court orders to be interpreted in favour of defendants - Money paid into solicitors trust account by third parties becomes an asset of the defendants - Unconditional gift - Quistclose or purpose trust not established - Mental element involved in contempt - Breach must be deliberate and not casual, accidental or unintentional

LEGISLATION CITED : Legal Profession Regulation 2005 (NSW)

CATEGORY : Principal judgment

Australasian Meat Industry Employees Union v Mudginberri Station Pty Ltd (1986) 65 ALR 683 Aztech Science Pty Ltd v Atlanta Aerospace (Woy Woy) Pty Ltd [2008] NSWSC 908 Barclays Bank Ltd v Quistclose Investments Ltd [1970] AC 567 CASES CITED : Fairclough v Manchester Ship Canal Co [1897] WN 7; 41 SJ 225 Hearne v Street [2008] HCA 36 Markisic v Commonwealth of Australia [2007] NSWCA 92 Witham v Holloway (1995) 183 CLR 525

Wexford Pty Ltd (Plaintiff) PARTIES : Praveen Meckraj Doolub (First Defendant) Niteen Meckraj Doolub (Second Defendant)