Lachlan v HP Mercantile Pty Limited [2014] NSWSC 356

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Lachlan v HP Mercantile Pty Limited [2014] NSWSC 356 Hearing dates: 18 March 2014 Decision date: 31 March 2014 Jurisdiction: Equity Division Before: Darke J Decision: Cross-claimant is entitled to judgment on the cross-claim in accordance with order 6 made on 28 June 2011. Catchwords: CONTRACT- penalty - compromise of litigation - cross-claimant agrees to accept certain amount by instalments - provision that in event of default cross-claimant can enter judgment for higher amount - whether provision constitutes a penalty - higher amount implicitly acknowledged by cross-defendant as a present debt - no penalty

PROCEDURE - civil - consent orders based on a contract of compromise - extension of time for compliance - whether exceptional circumstances shown - extension of time refused

PROCEDURE - civil - consent orders providing for entry of judgment - whether grounds for stay - mistake - stay refused Legislation Cited: Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW), s 61 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules, rr 1.12, 36.5 Cases Cited: Andrews v Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (2012) 247 CLR 205; [2012] HCA 30 Acron Pacific Ltd v Offshore Oil NL (1985) 157 CLR 514; [1985] HCA 63 Attwells v Marsden [2011] NSWSC 38 Australian Management Consultants Pty Ltd v Direct Mortgage Funding Pty Ltd [2003] VSC 202 Byrne v Australian Airlines Ltd (1995) 185 CLR 410; [1995] HCA 24 Calcorp (Australia) Pty Ltd v 271 Collins Pty Ltd [2010] VSCA 259 Cameron v UBS AG [2000] VSCA 222 Codelfa Construction Pty Ltd v State Rail Authority of New South Wales (1982) 149 CLR 337; [1982] HCA 24 O'Dea v Allstates Leasing System (WA) Pty Ltd (1983) 152 CLR 359; [1983] HCA 3 Paino v Hofbauer (1988) 13 NSWLR 193 Perpetual Trustee Co Ltd v Aspley Specialist Centre Pty Ltd [2010] QSC 232 Perpetual Trustee Co Ltd v Mitchell [2010] NSWSC 825 In the matter of Prismex Technologies Pty Ltd; Colin Lindsay Taggert v John [2013] NSWSC 292 Thompson v Hudson (1869) LR 4 HL 1 Zenith Engineering Pty Ltd v Queensland Crane and Machinery Pty Ltd [2000] QCA 221 Texts Cited: Professor P Parkinson, The Principles of Equity, (1st ed 1996, LawBook Co) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Graham Lachlan (plaintiff)