Lifehealthcare Distribution Pty Limited -v- Stewart Allen Nicholas [2011] NSWSC 661

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Lifehealthcare Distribution Pty Limited -v- Stewart Allen Nicholas [2011] NSWSC 661 Hearing dates: 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 10, 11, 12, 16 & 17 May 2011 Decision date: 29 June 2011 Jurisdiction: Equity Division - Commercial List Before: Hammerschlag J Decision: Plaintiff's claim dismissed with costs. Defendants' cross-claim dismissed with costs Catchwords: CONTRACT - sale of shares agreement containing warranties that financial information provided was true and not misleading in any material respect - plaintiff sues for damages for breach of warranties - whether plaintiff has established breach and whether it has established damages; TRADE PRACTICES - Fair Trading Act 1987 (NSW) - ss 41, 42(1) and 68(1) - plaintiff makes alternative claim for damages on the basis that in providing information and in not providing certain other information defendants engaged in conduct that was misleading or deceptive or likely to mislead or deceive - whether plaintiff has established that defendants had engaged in such conduct and whether it has established that it suffered loss by the conduct complained of Legislation Cited: Fair Trading Act 1987 (NSW) Cases Cited: Luna Park (NSW) Ltd v Tramways Advertising Pty Ltd (1938) 61 CLR 286 Watts v Rake (1960) 108 CLR 158 Wenham v Ella (1972) 127 CLR 454 HTW Valuers (Central Qld) Pty Ltd v Astonland Pty Ltd (2004) 217 CLR 640 EW Blanch Pty Ltd & Anor v Cooper & Anor [2005] NSWCA 217 Campbell v Backoffice Investments Pty Ltd (2009) 238 CLR 304 I & L Securities Pty Ltd v HTW Valuers (Brisbane) Pty Ltd (2002) 210 CLR 109 Sellars v Adelaide Petroleum NL (1994) 179 CLR 332 The Commonwealth v Amann Aviation Pty Ltd (1991) 174 CLR 64 Malec v JC Hutton Pty Ltd (1990) 169 CLR 638 JLW (Vic) Pty Ltd v Tsiloglou [1994] 1 VR 237 Troulis v Vamvoukakis [1998] NSWCA 237 Hampton Court Ltd v Crooks (1957) 97 CLR 367 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298 Kizbeau Pty Ltd v W G & B Pty Ltd (1995) 184 CLR 281 Kenny & Good Pty Ltd v MGICA (1992) Ltd (1999) 199 CLR 413 Chappel v Hart (1998) 195 CLR 232 Rosenberg v Percival (2001) 205 CLR 434 Ellis v Wallsend District Hospital (1989) 17 NSWLR 553 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Lifehealthcare Distribution Pty Limited - Plaintiff/First Cross-Defendant Paul Mirabelle - Second Cross-Defendant Geoffrey Thompson - Third Cross-Defendant Daren McKennay - Fourth Cross-Defendant Stewart Allen Nicholas - Defendant - First Defendant/First Cross-Claimant Patricia Lynette Nicholas - Second Defendant/Second Cross-Claimant Representation: Counsel: M.J. Darke with J.B. Spinak - Plaintiff/First, Second, Third and Fourth Cross-Defendants N.A. Cotman SC with G.P. McNally SC - First and Second Defendants/First and Second Cross-Claimants Solicitors: McLachlan Thorpe Partners - Plaintiff/First, Second, Third and Fourth Cross-Defendants Hunt & Hunt - First and Second Defendants/First and Second Cross-Claimants File Number(s): 2009/298678