Barkley v Barkley Brown [2009] NSWSC 76

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Barkley v Barkley Brown [2009] NSWSC 76

HEARING DATE(S) : 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19 December 2008

JUDGMENT DATE : 24 February 2009

JURISDICTION : Equity Division

JUDGMENT OF : Ward J at 1

DECISION : The defendant held liable to account. Declined to order further account. Consequential relief.

CATCHWORDS : EQUITY – equitable remedies – accounts and inquiries – whether defendant should be ordered to account to deceased's estate for withdrawals made from deceased's bank account – whether defendant owed fiduciary duties to the deceased – HELD – defendant acted as deceased's agent, owed a fiduciary duty to keep accounts and should be ordered to account - EQUITY – general principles – undue influence and duress – whether defendant's account that withdrawn amounts were gifts from deceased to or for the benefit of the defendant and/or to or for the benefit of the first plaintiff should be accepted – whether relationship between defendant and deceased gives rise to presumption of undue influence – whether presumption displaced by evidence – HELD – relationship such as to give rise to presumption of undue influence – presumption not displaced by evidence – account that withdrawn amounts were gifts not accepted.

CATEGORY : Principal judgment

Allen v Tobias (1958) 98 CLR 367 Asset Risk Management Limited v Hyndes [1999] NSWCA 201 Asset Risk Management Limited v Hyndes (unreported, 2 April 1998) Bank of Credit and Commerce International SA v Aboody [1990] 1 QB 23 Commonwealth Bank of Australia Limited v Amadio (1993) 151 CLR 447 Doss v Doss (1843) 3 Moo Ind App 175; 18 ER 464 Gray v Haig (1855) 20 Beav 219; 52 ER 587 Harris v Digital Pulse Pty Ltd (2003) 56 NSWLR 29 Hospital Products Ltd v United Surgical Corporation (1984) 156 CLR 41 Huguenin v Basely (1807) 14 Ves Jun Supp 372; 34 ER 1138 In re Coomber [1911] 1 Ch 723 Johnson v Buttress (1936) 56 CLR 113 Lipkin Gorman v Karpnale Ltd [1991] 2 AC 548 Lord Chedworth v Edwards (1802) 8 Ves Jun 46; 32 ER 268 CASES CITED : Nelson v Nelson (1995) 184 CLR 538 NWR FM t/a North West Radio v Broadcasting Commission of Ireland & Anor [2004] IEHC 109 Pearse v Green (1819) 1 Jac & W 135; 37 ER 327 Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co v Johnson [1937-1938] 60 CLR 189 Rapid Metal Developments (Australia) Pty Ltd v Rosato [1971] Qd R Re Sharp (FCA unreported 12 December 1992) Rhodes v Bate (1866) LR 1 Ch App 252 Spalla v St George Motor Finance Ltd (ACN 007 656 555) (No 6) [2004] FCA 1699 Spong v Spong (1914) 18 CLR 544 The Ophelia [1916] 2 AC 206 Thomas v High (1960) 60 SR (NSW) 401 Urane v Whipper [2001] NSWSC 796 Warman International Ltd v Dwyer (1995) 182 CLR 544 Whereat v Duff [1972] 2 NSWLR 147 Winefield v Clarke [2008] NSWSC 82 Yasuda Ltd v Orion Underwriting Limited [1995] QB 174