Diao v Cohen [2016] NSWSC 96

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Diao v Cohen [2016] NSWSC 96 Hearing dates: 21, 22, 23 and 24 July and 7 August 2015 Date of orders: 22 February 2016 Decision date: 22 February 2016 Before: Lindsay J Decision: Judgment for the plaintiff against the first defendant, in the sum of $281,995, with interest and costs, together with ancillary orders. Catchwords: CONTRACT – Agreement – Subject to contract – Whether parties intended to be immediately bound - No written agreement signed as contemplated – Held, no contract RESTITUTION – Moneys had and received – Failure of consideration – Change of position defence – Whether inequitable to require recipient to pay Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005, s 100 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005, rr 42.1, 42.2 Cases Cited: Allen v Carbone (1975) 132 CLR 528 Australian Broadcasting Corporation v XIVTH Commonwealth Games Limited (1988) 18 NSWLR 540 Australian Financial Services and Leasing Pty Ltd v Hills Industries Ltd (2014) 253 CLR 560 Baltic Shipping Company v Dillon (1993) 176 CLR 344 Baulkham Hills Private Hospital Pty Limited v GR Securities Pty Limited (1986) 40 NSWLR 622 Brambles Holdings Limited v Bathurst City Council (2001) 53 NSWLR 153 Brogden v Metropolitan Railway Co (1877) 2 App Cas 666 David Securities Pty Limited v Commonwealth Bank of Australia (1992) 175 CLR 353 David Securities Pty Limited v Commonwealth of Australia (1992) 175 CLR 353 Eccles v Bryant and Pollock [1948] Ch 93 Empirnall Holdings Pty Limited v Machon Paull Partners Pty Limited (1988) 14 NSWLR 523 Equuscorp Pty Limited versus Haxton (2012) 246 CLR 498 Masters v Cameron (1954) 91 CLR 353 Mushroom Composters Pty Ltd v IS & DE Robertson Pty Ltd [2015] NSWCA 1 Mushroom Composters Pty Ltd v IS & DE Robertson Pty Ltd [2015] NSWCA 1 0rmwave Pty Limited v Smith [2007] NSWCA 210 Roxburgh v Rothmans of Pall Mall Australia Limited (2001) 208 CLR 516 Sindel v Georgiou (1984) 154 CLR 661 TMA Australia Pty Ltd v Indect Electronics & Distribution GMBH [2014] NSWSC 409 Turner v Bladin (1951) 82 CLR 463 Universal Music Australia Pty Ltd v Pavlovic [2015] NSWSC 791 Walton's Stores (Interstate) Limited v Maher (1988) 164 CLR 387 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Gin Zhu Diao (plaintiff/cross defendant) Robin Cohen (first defendant/cross claimant) Office Deals Pty Limited ACN 141870840 (second defendant/cross claimant) Representation: Counsel: R Parsons (plaintiff/cross defendant) JC Kelly SC and DF Elliot (defendants/cross claimants)