Loumbos v Ward [2016] NSWSC 885

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Loumbos v Ward [2016] NSWSC 885 Hearing dates: 6,7 and 8 October and 11 November 2015 Decision date: 28 June 2016 Before: Lindsay J Decision: (1) A deed of gift signed by the plaintiff in favour of the defendant, but held in escrow subject to a condition not fulfilled, should be set aside and the original instrument delivered up for cancellation.

(2) A residential property purchased in the name of the defendant is held by her on trust for the plaintiff.

(3) The plaintiff's claims to return of a motor vehicle and rings should be dismissed. Catchwords: EQUITY - General principles – Unconscionability, unconscionable dealings and other forms of equitable fraud – Execution of deed of gift under mistaken belief operation of deed conditional upon marriage – Unilateral mistake – Gift in contemplation of marriage – No marriage, no gift Cases Cited: Banque Nationale de Paris v Falkirk Developments Ltd (1977) 136 CLR 177 Cohen v Sellar [1926] 1 KB 536 Commercial Bank of Australia Limited v Amadio (1983) 151 CLR 447 Kais v Turvey (1994) 11 WAR 357 Kakavas v Crown Melbourne Limited (2013) 250 CLR 392 Louth v Diprose (1992) 175 CLR 621 Scook v Premier Building Solutions Pty Ltd (2003) 28 WAR 124 Segboer v AJ Richardson Properties Pty Ltd [2012] NSWCA 253 Taylor v Johnson (1983) 151 CLR 422 Texts Cited: Meagher, Gummow & Lehane, Equity: Doctrines and Remedies (LexisNexis Butterworths, Australia, 5th edition, 2015) N Seddon, Seddon on Deeds (Federation Press, Sydney, 2015) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Plaintiff: Valentine John Loumbos Defendant: Deborah Jane Ward Representation: Counsel: Plaintiff: M Dicker SC Defendant: MA Ashurst SC and LD Corbett