Abadeen Group Pty Ltd & Anor v Bluestone Property Services Pty Ltd & Ors; Brown & Ors v Hodgkinson & Ors [2009] NSWCA 386

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION: Abadeen Group Pty Ltd & Anor v Bluestone Property Services Pty Ltd & Ors; Brown & Ors v Hodgkinson & Ors [2009] NSWCA 386 This decision has been amended. Please see the end of the judgment for a list of the amendments.

HEARING DATE(S): 30 September 2009

JUDGMENT DATE: 7 December 2009

JUDGMENT OF: Hodgson JA at 1; Campbell JA at 2; Sackville AJA at 3

DECISION: Appeals dismissed with costs

CATCHWORDS: CONTRACTS - terms of a commercial agreement recorded in a handwritten note - whether parties signing the note intended to conclude an enforceable bargain - significance of a statement that a solicitor would have to draft an agreement properly - whether the parties needed agreement as to all terms necessary to conclude a contract

LEGISLATION CITED: Conveyancing Act 1919, s 54A

CATEGORY: Principal judgment

Air Great Lakes Pty Ltd v K S Easter (Holdings) Pty Ltd (1985) 2 NSWLR 309 Australian Broadcasting Corporation v XIVth Commonwealth Games Ltd (1988) 18 NSWLR 540 B Seppelt & Sons Ltd v Commissioner for Main Roads (1975) 1 BPR 9147 Barrier Wharfs Ltd v W Scott Fell & Co Ltd [1908] HCA 88; 5 CLR 647 Baulkham Hills Private Hospital Pty Ltd v G R Securities Pty Ltd (1986) 40 NSWLR 622 Brambles Holdings Ltd v Bathurst City Council [2001] NSWCA 61; 53 NSWLR 153 Clifton v Palumbo [1944] 2 All ER 497 CASES CITED: G R Securities Pty Ltd v Baulkham Hills Private Hospital Pty Ltd (1986) 40 NSWLR 631 L'Estrange v Graucob Ltd [1934] 2 KB 394 Masters v Cameron [1954] HCA 72; 91 CLR 353 Pacific Carriers Ltd v BNP Paribas [2004] HCA 35; 218 CLR 451 Ryledar Pty Ltd v Euphoric Pty Ltd [2007] NSWCA 65; 69 NSWLR 603 Sinclair, Scott & Co v Naughton [1929] HCA 34; 43 CLR 310 Tasman Capital Pty Ltd v Sinclair [2008] NSWCA 248 Thorby v Goldberg [1964] HCA 41, 112 CLR 597 Toll (FGCT) Pty Ltd v Alphapharm Pty Ltd [2004] HCA 52; 219 CLR 165