Li v Deng (No. 2) [2012] NSWSC 1245

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Li v Deng (No. 2) [2012] NSWSC 1245 Hearing dates: 20 to 29 August 2012 Decision date: 19 October 2012 Jurisdiction: Equity Division Before: Ball J Decision: See paragraph 182 of this judgment. Catchwords: EQUITY - proprietary estoppel - resulting trust - constructive trust - no issue of principle. EVIDENCE - credibility evidence - consideration of when lies of one witness can provide evidence against that witness - held only in limited circumstances. TORTS - malicious prosecution - elements of the tort - meaning of "reasonable and probable cause" and "maliciously" - whether tort applies to the initiation of AVO proceedings. TORTS - abuse of process - difference between abuse of process and malicious prosecution - onerous burden of proof. Legislation Cited: Evidence Act 1995 (Cth) Cases Cited: A v State of New South Wales [2007] HCA 10; (2007) 230 CLR 500 Ainsworth v Burden [2005] NSWCA 174 Baumgartner v Baumgartner [1987] HCA 59; (1987) 164 CLR 137 Briginshaw v Briginshaw (1938) 60 CLR 336 Giumelli v Giumelli [1999] HCA 10; (1999) 196 CLR 101 Hanrahan v Ainsworth (1990) 22 NSWLR 73 Hicks v Faulkner (1878) 8 QBD 167 Johnson v Emerson (1871) LR 6 Ex 329; 40 LJ Ex 201; 25 LT 337 Landini v State of New South Wales [2008] NSWSC 1280 Li v Deng [2010] NSWCA 266 Little v Law Institute of Victoria (No 3) [1990] VR 257 Raso v NRMA Insurance Ltd (New South Wales Court of Appeal, 14 October 1992, unreported) Sharp v Biggs (1932) 48 CLR 81 Springett v London and South-Western Bank (1885) 1 TLR 611 Thomas v State of New South Wales (2008) 74 NSWLR 34 Williams v Spautz (1992) 174 CLR 509 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Lin Li (aka Lyn Gleeson) (Plaintiff) Wan Yun Deng (First Defendant) Songshi Li (Second Defendant) Dan Chen (Third Defendant) Representation: DA Smallbone / JD Baxter (Plaintiff) Dr AJ Greinke (First Defendant) GJ McVay (Second and Third Defendants) G J Gooden (Plaintiff) Auyeung Hencent & Day (First Defendant) Salvos Legal (Second and Third Defendants) File Number(s): 2006/255516 Publication restriction: Nil