Bennett v Strauss [2016] NSWCA 324

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Bennett v Strauss [2016] NSWCA 324 Hearing dates: 31 October 2016 Date of orders: 24 November 2016 Decision date: 24 November 2016 Before: McColl JA at [1] Sackville AJA at [2] Barrett AJA at [5] Decision: 1. Appeal dismissed.

2. The appellant pay the respondents' costs of the appeal. Catchwords: CONTRACTS – general contractual principles – formation of contract – principal and agent – ratification – plaintiff alleged that a daughter made a contract representing that she acted with the authority of her mother – finding of lack of authority not challenged – whether circumstances such that subsequent acts of mother could constitute ratification – not shown that daughter's conduct was contractual in nature – requirements for ratification not met Legislation Cited: Contracts Review Act 1980 (NSW) Conveyancing Act 1919 (NSW), s 54A Cases Cited: Black v Smallwood (1966) 117 CLR 52; [1966] HCA 2 Bolton Partners v Lambert (1889) 41 Ch D 295 Cavenagh Investment Pte Ltd v Kaushik Rajiv [2013] SGHC 45; [2013] 2 SLR 543 City Bank of Sydney v McLaughlin (1909) 9 CLR 615; [1909] HCA 78 Commissioner of Taxation (Cth) v Sara Lee Household & Body Care (Australia) Pty Ltd (2000) 201 CLR 520; [2000] HCA 35 Davison v Vickery's Motors Ltd (1925) 37 CLR 1; [1925] HCA 47 Dempsey v Chambers, 154 Mass 330, 28 NE 279 (1891) Firth v Staines [1897] 2 QB 70 Foster v Bates (1843) 12 M & W 226; 152 ER 1180 Howard Smith & Co Ltd v Varawa (1907) 5 CLR 68; [1907] HCA 38 Hunter v Parker (1840) 7 M & W 322; 151 ER 789 Jones v Peters [1948] VLR 331 Keighley, Maxsted and Co v Durant [1901] AC 240 McLean Bros & Rigg Ltd v Grice (1906) 4 CLR 835; [1906] HCA 1 National Australia Bank Ltd v Dionys [2016] NSWCA 242 National Oilwell (UK) Ltd v Davy Offshore Ltd [1993] Lloyd's Rep 583 Phoenix Assurance Co Ltd v Berechree (1906) 3 CLR 946; [1906] HCA 6 Quarante Pty Ltd v The Owners Strata Plan No 67212 [2008] NSWCA 258 Saunderson v Griffiths (1826) 5 B & C 909; 108 ER 338 Spiro v Lintern [1973] 1 WLR 1002 Taylor v Smith (1926) 38 CLR 48; [1926] HCA 16 Trident General Insurance Co Ltd v McNiece Bros Pty Ltd (1987) 8 NSWLR 270 Watson v Davies [1931] 1 Ch 455 Watson v Swann (1862) 11 CB (NS) 756; 142 ER 993 Wilson v Tumman (1843) 6 Man & G 236; 134 ER 879 Texts Cited: F R Mecham, "The effect of ratification between the principal and the other party" (1906) 4 Michigan Law Review 269 T G Pappas, "Rescission by third party prior to principal's ratification of agent's unauthorized action" (1948) 2 Vanderbilt Law Review 100 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Ian Bennett (Appellant) Marguerita Strauss (First Respondent) Lara Hartmann (Second Respondent) Representation: Counsel: J Priestley SC (Appellant) P W Gray SC/N J T Smith (Respondents)