Brendan Wilfred King v Robert Lawrence Adams and 14 Others [2016] NSWSC 1798

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Brendan Wilfred King v Robert Lawrence Adams and 14 Others [2016] NSWSC 1798 Hearing dates: 18, 19, 20 October, plaintiff's written submissions 28 October, defendants' written submissions 2 November, plaintiff's submissions in reply 6 November, 7 November 2016 (Final, oral submissions) Decision date: 14 December 2016 Jurisdiction: Equity - Expedition List Before: Sackar J Decision: See paragraph [335] and [336] Catchwords: EQUITY – existence of a fiduciary duty – nature of fiduciary obligations – trusts – mingling of funds held on trust – definition of a joint venture – joint ventures and fiduciary relationships – remedial constructive trust – common intention constructive trust CONTRACT – intention to contract – oral contracts – implied terms – objective determination of a contract and its terms – existence of a contract – estoppel by convention Legislation Cited: Partnership Act 1892 (Cth) Cases Cited: Associated Alloys Pty Ltd v ACN 001 452 106 Pty Ltd (in liq) (2000) 202 CLR 588 Australian Broadcasting Corporation v XIVth Commonwealth Games Limited (1988) 18 NSWLR 540 Australian Woollen Mills Pty Ltd v The Commonwealth (1953–1954) 92 CLR 424 Baumgartner v Baumgartner (1987) 164 CLR 137 Birtchnell v Equity Trustees, Executors and Agency Co Ltd (1929) 42 CLR 384 Blythe v Northwood (2005) 63 NSWLR 531 BP Refinery (Westernport) Pty Ltd v Hastings Shire Council (1977) 180 CLR 266 Brady v Stapleton (1952) 88 CLR 322 Brambles Holdings Ltd v Bathurst City Council (2001) 53 NSWLR 153 Branir Pty Ltd v Owston Nominees (No 2) Pty Ltd (2001) 117 FCR 424 Breen v Williams (1996) 186 CLR 71 Byrne v Australian Airlines Ltd (1995) 185 CLR 410 Canny Gabriel Castle Jackson Advertising Ltd v Volume Sales (Finance) Pty Ltd (1974) 131 CLR 321 Chan v Zacharia (1984) 154 CLR 178 Codelfa Construction Pty Ltd v State Rail Authority of NSW (1982) 149 CLR 337 Colyer Fehr Tallow Pty Ltd v KNZ Australia Pty Ltd [2011] NSWSC 457 Commonwealth Bank of Australia v Barker (2014) 253 CLR 169 Con-Stan Industries of Australia Pty Ltd v Norwich Winterthur Insurance (Australia) Limited (1986) 160 CLR 226 Consul Development Pty Ltd v DPC Estates Pty Ltd (1975) 132 CLR 373 Cook v Addison (1869) LR 7 Eq 466 County Securities Pty Ltd v Challenger Group Holdings Pty Ltd [2008] NSWCA 193 Dabbs v Seaman (1925) 36 CLR 538 Day v Mead [1987] 2 NZLR 443 Equuscorp Pty Ltd v Glengallan Investments Pty Ltd (2004) 218 CLR 471 Ermogenous v Greek Orthodox Community of SA Inc (2002) 209 CLR 95 Everson v Rich (1988) 53 DLR (4d) Farnell v Cox (1898) 19 LR (NSW) Eq 142) Federal Commissioner of Taxation v Everett (1980) 143 CLR 440 Foskett v McKeown [2001] 1 AC 102 Frith v Cartland (1865) 2 Hem & M 417 Furs Ltd v Tomkies (1936) 54 CLR 583 Gardiner v Grigg (1938) 38 SR (NSW) 524 Gibson Motorsport Merchandise Pty Ltd v Forbes (2006) 149 FCR 569 Gibson Motorsport Merchandise Pty Ltd v Forbes [2005] FCA 749 Greater Pacific Investments Pty Ltd (in liq) v Australian National Industries Ltd (1996) 39 NSWLR 143 Green v Green (1989) 17 NSWLR 343 Grimaldi v Chameleon Mining NL (No 2) (2012) 200 FCR 296 Hawkins v Clayton (1988) 164 CLR 539 Hospital Products Ltd v United States Surgical Corporation (1984) 156 CLR 41 Howard v Commissioner of Taxation (2014) 253 CLR 83 Integrated Computer Services Pty Ltd v Digital Corp (Aust) Pty Ltd (1985) BPR 11,110 International Air Transport Association v Ansett Australia Holdings Ltd (2008) 82 ALJR 419 John Alexander's Clubs Pty Limited v White City Tennis Club Limited (2010) 241 CLR 1 Kelly v CA & L Bell Commodities Corporation Pty Ltd (1989) 18 NSWLR 248 King v Benecke [2013] NSWSC 568 LAC Minerals Ltd v International Corona Resources Ltd (1989) 61 DLR (4th) 14 Lupton v White (1808) 15 Ves 432 Maggs v Marsh [2006] EWCA Civ 1058 Masterton Homes Pty Ltd v Palm Assets Pty Ltd (2009) 261 ALR 382 Meinhard v Salmon 249 NY 458 (1928) Mount Bruce Mining Pty Limited v Wright Prospecting Pty Limited (S99/2015; S102/2015) (2015) 256 CLR 104 Muschinski v Dodds (1985) 160 CLR 583 New Zealand Netherlands Society "Oranje" Inc v Kuys [1973] 1 WLR 1126 News Ltd v Australian Rugby Football League Ltd (1996) 64 FCR 410 Pacific Carriers Ltd v BNP Paribas (2004) 218 CLR 451 Parker v Clark [1960] 1 WLR 286 Parsons and Parsons v McBain (2001) 109 FCR 120 Pavlovic v Universal Music Australia Pty Limited (2015) 90 NSWLR 605 Pettkus v Becker (1980) 117 DLR (3d) Phipps v Boardman (1967) 2 AC 46 Pilmer v Duke Group Ltd (in liq) (2001) 207 CLR 165 Rathwell v Rathwell (1978) 83 DLR (3d) 289 Raulfs v Fishy Bite Pty Ltd; Fishy Bite Pty Ltd v Raulfs [2012] NSWCA 135 Re Hallett's Estate (1880) 13 Ch D 696 Re Sports Alive Pty Ltd (in liquidation) [2013] VSC 69 Re Tilleys Will Trusts [1967] Ch 1179 Ryledar Pty Ltd v Euphoric Pty Ltd (2007) 69 NSWLR 603 Sagacious Procurement Pty Ltd v Symbion Health Ltd [2008] NSWCA 149 Say-Dee Pty Ltd v Farah Constructions Pty Ltd [2005] NSWCA 309 Scott v Scott (1963) 109 CLR 649 Simic v New South Wales Land and Housing Corporation [2016] HCA 47 Sinclair Investments (UK) Ltd v Versailles Trade Finance Ltd (in administrative receivership) and others [2012] Ch 453 Sorochan v Sorochan (1986) 29 DLR (4th) Stowe and Devereaux Holdings Pty Ltd v Stowe (1995) 15 WAR 363 Taylor & Ors v Johnson (1982–1983) 151 CLR 422 Merritt v Merritt [1970] 1 WLR 1211 Toll (FGCT) Pty Ltd v Alphapharm Pty Ltd (2004) 219 CLR 165 Toyota Motor Corporation Australia Ltd v Ken Morgan Motors Pty Ltd [1994] 2 VR 106 United Dominions Corp Ltd v Brian Pty Ltd (1985) 157 CLR 1 Van Rassel v Kroon (1953) 87 CLR 298 Waterman v Gerling Australia Insurance Co Pty Ltd (2005) 65 NSWLR 30 Wyllie v Tarrison Pty Ltd [2007] NSWCA 184 Texts Cited: F Jordan, Chapters on Equity in New South Wales (6th ed, 1945, Thomas Henry Tennant) J D Heydon and M J Leeming, Jacob's Law of Trusts in Australia (7th ed, 2006, Lexis Nexis Butterworths) P Finn, "Fiduciary reflections" (2014) 88 ALJ 127 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Brendan Wilfred King (plaintiff) Robert Lawrence Adams (first defendant) New South Wales Lotteries Corporation Pty Ltd (second defendant) Matthew John Adams (third defendant) Bradley Robert Adams (fourth defendant) Silvestre Gavina Mico (fifth defendant) Peter Andres (sixth defendant) Davendra Singh (seventh defendant) Robert Eric Beever (eighth defendant) Sean Cheak (ninth defendant) Peter Salendra Prasad (tenth defendant) Robert Griffiths (eleventh defendant) Hassan Hashim (twelfth defendant) Phongsavath Sengchangsavang (thirteenth defendant) Quem Singue Lai (fourteenth defendant) Viengxay Thattamanivong (fifteenth defendant) Representation: Counsel: L Gyles SC, C Johnstone, C McMeniman (plaintiff) M Lee SC, W A D Edwards (first to fifteenth defendants) Unrepresented (second defendant)