MacPhail v MacPhail [2017] NSWSC 942

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: MacPhail v MacPhail [2017] NSWSC 942 Hearing dates: 5 July 2017 Date of orders: 19 July 2017 Decision date: 19 July 2017 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Davies J Decision: (1) Summons dismissed.

(2) The Plaintiff is to pay the Defendant's costs. Catchwords: APPEALS – appeal from Local Court – debt claim in family context – issues before the Magistrate went outside the pleadings – loan found to be a binding legal agreement – post-contractual acknowledgements of loan by Defendant – whether Magistrate failed to refer to relevant evidence and give adequate reasons – whether loan a moral obligation or legal obligation – whether there is a "rebuttable presumption" in domestic contexts that arrangements are not intended to have legal consequences – no error of law demonstrated – leave to appeal refused on mixed questions of fact and law Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW) Local Court Act 2007 (NSW) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) Cases Cited: Ashton v Pratt (No 2) [2012] NSWSC 3 Commissioner of Taxation v Normandy Finance & Investments Asia Pty Ltd [2016] FAFC 180 Darmanin v Cowan [2010] NSWSC 1118 Dee Why Auto Clinic and Anor v Roads and Maritime Services [2017] NSWSC 377 Ermogenous v Greek Orthodox Community (2002) 209 CLR 95; [2002] HCA 8 Gray v Guardian Trust Australia [2002] NSWSC 1218 Jaycar Pty Limited v Lombardo [2011] NSWCA 284 Re Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs; Ex parte Applicant S20/2002 (2003) 77 ALJR 1165; [2003] HCA 30 Pollard v RRR Corporation [2009] NSWCA 110 Repatriation Commission v O'Brien (1985) 155 CLR 422 Resource Pacific Pty Ltd v Wilkinson [2013] NSWCA 33 Soulemezis v Dudley (Holdings) Pty Ltd (1987) 10 NSWLR 247 Southwick v Moores Stephens Melbourne Pty Ltd [2008] VSCA 164 Zelden v Sewell Henamast Pty Limited v Sewell [2011] NSWCA 56 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Georgia MacPhail (Plaintiff) Joan MacPhail (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: M Fernandes (Plaintiff) D L Cook SC (Defendant)