Arfaras v Vosnakis [2016] NSWCA 65

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Arfaras v Vosnakis [2016] NSWCA 65 Hearing dates: 23 February 2016 Date of orders: 07 April 2016 Decision date: 07 April 2016 Before: Beazley P at [1]; Ward JA at [2]; Simpson JA at [121] Decision: (1) Leave be granted to appeal/cross-appeal. (2) Appeal be dismissed. (3) Cross-appeal be dismissed. (4) Applicant to pay the respondent's costs of the proceedings in this Court of both the appeal and the cross-appeal. Catchwords: CONTRACTS – whether promise to transfer burial licence gave rise to binding contract – whether mutual promises offered in consideration of one another – whether objective intention to create legally binding relations

ESTOPPEL – by conduct – proprietary estoppel by encouragement – promise by applicant to transfer burial plot to respondent to enable him to be buried next to his late wife in due course – whether loss of ability to be buried next to wife as a result of applicant's failure to honour promise sufficient detrimental reliance for purposes of equitable estoppel Legislation Cited: Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW), s 101(2)(r) Cases Cited: Ashton v Pratt [2015] NSWCA 12; (2015) 88 NSWLR 281 Australian Woollen Mills Pty Ltd v Commonwealth [1954] HCA 20; (1954) 92 CLR 424 Barns v Barns [2003] HCA 9; (2003) 214 CLR 169 Carlill v Carbolic Smoke Ball Co [1893] 1 QB 256 Commonwealth v Verwayen [1990] HCA 39; (1990) 170 CLR 394 Delaforce v Simpson-Cook [2010] NSWCA 84; (2010) 78 NSWLR 483 DHJPM Pty Ltd v Blackthorn Resources Ltd [2011] NSWCA 348; (2011) 83 NSWLR 728 Dillwyn v Llewelyn (1862) 4 De GF & J 517; 45 ER 1285 Donis v Donis [2007] VSCA 89; (2007) 19 VR 577 Ermogenous v Greek Orthodox Community of SA Inc [2002] HCA 8; (2002) 209 CLR 95 Fifteenth Eestin Nominees Pty Ltd v Rosenberg (No 2) [2009] VSCA 178; (2009) 24 VR 155 Giumelli v Giumelli [1999] HCA 10; (1999) 196 CLR 101 Grundt v Great Boulder Proprietary Gold Mines Ltd [1937] HCA 58; (1937) 59 CLR 641 Jennings v Rice [2003] 1 P & CR 100; [2002] EWCA Civ 159 Legione v Hateley [1983] HCA 11; (1983) 152 CLR 406 Ramsden v Dyson (1866) LR 1 HL 129 Saleh v Romanous [2010] NSWCA 274; (2010) 79 NSWLR 453 Sidhu v Van Dyke [2014] HCA 19; (2014) 251 CLR 505 Silovi Pty Ltd v Barbaro (1988) 13 NSWLR 466 Svenson v Payne [1945] HCA 43; (1945) 71 CLR 531 Vukic v Grbin [2006] NSWSC 41 Walsh v Walsh [2012] NSWCA 57 Waltons Stores (Interstate) Limited v Maher [1988] HCA 7; (1988) 164 CLR 387 Wells v Matthews [1914] HCA 50; (1914) 18 CLR 440 Texts Cited: JD Heydon, MJ Leeming and PG Turner, Meagher, Gummow and Lehane's Equity: Doctrines and Remedies (5th ed, 2014, LexisNexis) PS Atiyah and SA Smith, Introduction to the Law of Contract (6th ed, 2005, Clarendon Press) PW Young, C Croft and ML Smith, On Equity (2009, Lawbook Co) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Aristea Arfaras (Applicant/Cross-respondent) Joseph Vosnakis (Respondent/Cross-applicant) Representation: Counsel: B Coles QC with M Holmes (Applicant/Cross-respondent) GM McGrath with L Teoh (Respondent/Cross-applicant)