Segal v Barel [2013] NSWCA 92

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Segal v Barel [2013] NSWCA 92 Hearing dates: 9 April 2013 Decision date: 29 April 2013 Before: McColl JA (at [1]); Barrett JA (at [2]); Preston CJ of LEC (at [140]) Decision: The parties are to bring in agreed short minutes of orders giving effect to paragraphs [130] to [134], [136] and [137] of the judgment; and to make submissions in writing on [135]. [Note: The Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 provide (Rule 36.11) that unless the Court otherwise orders, a judgment or order is taken to be entered when it is recorded in the Court's computerised court record system. Setting aside and variation of judgments or orders is dealt with by Rules 36.15, 36.16, 36.17 and 36.18. Parties should in particular note the time limit of fourteen days in Rule 36.16.] Catchwords: REAL PROPERTY - partition of land - partition or sale in partition actions - statutory trust for sale or partition - where primary judge granted one co-owner's application for appointment of trustees for partition in preference to the other co-owner's application for appointment of trustees for sale - finding that partition would be "more beneficial for" the co-owners than sale - nature of the "more beneficial" assessment - whether non-financial matters may be taken into account - nature of "partition - whether partition achieved if each co-owner receives one lot in a strata subdivision - nature of equitable co-ownership of strata scheme common property by lot owners discussed - such equitable co-ownership incompatible with partition - REAL PROPERTY - partition of land - ancillary matters - financial adjustments - "equality money" - taking of account to ascertain co-owners' contributions to expenditure enhancing the value of the land Legislation Cited: Conveyancing Act 1919, Division 6 of Part 4, ss 66F, 66G, 66H Partition Act 1868 (Eng), ss 3 and 4 Real Property Act 1900 Statutes of Partition (31 Hen 8 c 1 and 32 Hen 8 c 32) Strata Schemes (Freehold Development) Act 1973, ss 18(1), 20(a) and (b), 24(2) Strata Schemes Management Act 1996, s 11(1), Schedule 2, clauses 12(2), 15(4),18 Cases Cited: Barel v Segal [2011] NSWSC 1181 Barel v Segal (No 2) [2012] NSWSC 1054 Barel v Segal (No 3) [2012] NSWSC 1319 Brickwood v Young [1905] HCA 12; (1905) 2 CLR 387 Calverley v Green [1984] HCA 81; (1984) 155 CLR 242 at 245 Carre v Owners Corporation - Strata Plan 53020 [2003] NSWSC 397; (2003) 58 NSWLR 302 Chocolate Factory Apartments Ltd v Westpoint Finance Pty Ltd [2005] NSWSC 784 Comptroller of Stamps v Christian [1991] 2 VR 129 Cryer v Ossher [1997] NSWSC 613; (1997) 8 BPR 15,831 Drinkwater v Ratcliffe (1875) LR 20 Eq 528 Dunston v Dunston (unreported, NSWSC, Cohen M, 14 September 1983) Ellison v Cleghorn [2013] EWHC 5 (Ch) Foregard v Shanahan (1995) 35 NSWLR 206 Gilbert v Smith (1879) LR 11 Ch D 78 Hayward v Skinner (1981) 1 NSWLR 590 Hopper v Hopper [2008] EWHC 228 (Ch) Jabs Construction Ltd v Callahan (1991) Can LII 1877 Leigh v Dickeson [1881] 15 QBD 60 McCormick v McCormick [1921] NZLR 384 McMahon v Public Curator (Qld) [1952] St R Qd 197 Nevin v The Beneficiaries of The Peppermint Beach Estate Trust [2002] WASC 300 Nullagine Investments Pty Ltd v Western Australian Club Inc [1993] HCA 45; (1993) 177 CLR 635 Pannizutti v Trask (1987) 10 NSWLR 531 Pemberton v Barnes (1871) LR 6 Ch App 685 Re Darby [1999] 2 Qd R 350 Re Pavlou [1993] 1 WLR 1046 Ridis v The Proprietors Strata Plan 10308 [2005] NSWCA 246; (2005) 63 NSWLR 449 Ryan v Dries [2002] NSWCA 3; (2002) 10 BPR 19,497 The Owners - Strata Plan 35042 v Seiwa Australia Pty Ltd [2007] NSWCA 272; (2007) 13 BPR 24,789 The Owners - Strata Plan No 43551 v Walter Construction Group Ltd [2004] NSWCA 429; (2004) 62 NSWLR 169 T S Swaminatha v Official Receiver of West Tanjore (1957) AIR 577 Turner v Morgan (1803) 8 Ves 143; 32 ER 307 Wong Chun Kei Johnny v Poon Vai Ching [2005] HKCFI 19 Wood v Drew (1864) 33 Beav 610; 55 ER 505 Texts Cited: Halsbury's Laws of England, First Ed, Vol 21 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Phillip Segal - Appellant Elie Barel - Respondent Representation: G R Waugh - Appellant J A Loxton - Respondent Low Doherty Stratford - Appellant Coopers Law Firm - Respondent File Number(s): 2012/367918 Decision under appeal Citation: Barel v Segal [2011] NSWSC 1181; Barel v Segal (No 2) [2012] NSWSC 1054; Barel v Segal (No 3) [2012] NSWSC 1319 Before: Pembroke J File Number(s): 2010/412807