Barber v De Prima [2018] NSWSC 601

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Barber v De Prima [2018] NSWSC 601 Hearing dates: 20 - 21 March 2018 Decision date: 07 May 2018 Jurisdiction: Equity Before: Robb J Decision: See 245 and 272-273 Catchwords: EQUITY — Contribution — Co-ordinate liability — Between co-sureties — whether the plaintiff is entitled to contribution from the first defendant

EQUITY — Subrogation — Rights of subrogated party — co-guarantor paid more than their share of liability — plaintiff entitled to contribution from first defendant

EQUITY — Assignment — Of causes of action — whether the cause of action was capable of assignment — whether there was a valid assignment to the plaintiff of rights of contribution and subrogation as between co-guarantors — whether the plaintiff as assignee had standing — whether the assignment was limited to the rights attached to the deed of assignment

EQUITY — Subrogation and Contribution — Limitation of Actions — whether rights of contribution and subrogation were statute-barred by direct application of statutory limitation provisions or in equity by analogy

EQUITY — Subrogation — Requirements — equitable doctrine of subrogation — statutory subrogation — right of co-sureties to subrogation in equity — right of co-sureties to statutory subrogation

EQUITY — Defences — Laches and acquiescence — Discretionary factors — whether laches available — laches not available Legislation Cited: Limitation Act 1969 (NSW) Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1965 (NSW) Usury, Bills of Lading and Written Memorandum Act 1902 (NSW) Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1946 (NSW) Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) Cases Cited: Lang v Le Boursicot (1993) 5 BPR 97,406 Parker v Alessi [2011] NSWSC 947 Burke v LFOT Pty Ltd (2002) 209 CLR 282; [2002] HCA 17 Lavin v Toppi (2015) 254 CLR 459; [2015] HCA 4 Barker v The Duke Group Limited (in liq) (2005) 91 SASR 167 Albion Insurance Co Ltd v Government Insurance Office (NSW) (1969) 121 CLR 342; [1969] HCA 55 Dering v Earl of Winchelsea (1787) 1 Cox Eq 318; 29 ER 1184 Pavey & Matthews Pty Ltd v Paul (1987) 162 CLR 221; [1987] HCA 5 Davies v Evan Humphreys (1840) 6 M & W 153; 151 ER 361 Craythorne v Swinburne (1870) 14 Ves 160; 33 ER 482 Gerace v Auzhair Supplies Pty Ltd (2014) 87 NSWLR 435; [2014] NSWCA 181 Barker v The Duke Group Limited (in liq) (2005) 91 SASR 167; [2005] SASC 81 The Duke Group Ltd (in liq) v Alamain Investments Ltd [2004] SASC 415 Copis v Middleton (1823) Turn & R 224; 37 ER 1083 Wolmershausen v Gullick [1893] 2 Ch 514 Bofinger v Kingsway Group Ltd (2009) 239 CLR 269; [2009] HCA 44 Embling v McEwan (1872) 3 VR (L) 52 Hardy v Johnston (1880) 6 VLR (L) 190 Cochrane v Cochrane (1985) 3 NSWLR 403 Ghana Commercial Bank v Chandiram [1960] AC 732 Batchellor v Lawrence (1861) 9 CB (NS) 543; 142 ER 214 Rossfreight Holdings Pty Ltd v Unipep Australia Pty Ltd [2002] NSWSC 1074 Farah Constructions Pty Ltd v Say-Dee Pty Ltd (2007) 230 CLR 89; [2007] HCA 22 Duncan Fox and Co v North and South Wales Bank (1880) 6 App Cas 1 Scholefield Goodman and Sons Ltd v Zyngier [1986] AC 562 New South Wales Medical Defence Union Ltd v Crawford (No 3) [1994] NSWCA 231 McNeil v Short [1926] 4 DLR 951 Buckeridge v Mercantile Credits Ltd (1981) 147 CLR 654; [1981] HCA 62 Austin v Royal (1999) 47 NSWLR 27; [1999] NSWCA 222 Official Trustee in Bankruptcy v Citibank Savings Ltd (1995) 38 NSWLR 116 Chin Hoat Pty Ltd v National Australia Bank Limited [1996] ANZ ConvR 188; BC9504360 In re McMyn; Lightbown v McMyn (1886) 33 Ch D 575 D & J Fowler (Australia) Ltd v Bank of New South Wales [1982] 2 NSWLR 879 Manzo v 555/255 Pitt Street Pty Ltd (1990) 21 NSWLR 1 Birdon Contracting Pty Ltd v Hawkesbury City Council (2009) 167 LGERA 178; [2009] NSWLEC 91 Central Electricity Board v Halifax Corporation [1963] AC 785 Gutsell v Reeve [1936] 1 KB 272 Belan v Casey (2003) 57 NSWLR 670; [2003] NSWSC 159 Morgan Equipment Co v Rodgers (No 2) (1993) 32 NSWLR 467 James Hardie & Co Pty Ltd v Wyong Shire Council (2000) 48 NSWLR 679; [2000] NSWCA 107 Amaca Pty Ltd v CSR Ltd [2001] NSWSC 324 CSR Ltd v Amaca Pty Ltd [2007] NSWCA 107 Krakowski v Trenorth Ltd (Formerly known as Eurolynx Properties Ltd), Victorian Supreme Court Commercial List, 26-29 March 1996, 7 May 1996, unreported, BC9601760 Seear v Lawson (1880) 15 Ch D 426 Owners of Strata Plan 5290 v CGS & Co Pty Ltd (2011) 81 NSWLR 285; [2011] NSWCA 168 HIH Claims Support Ltd v Insurance Australia Ltd (2011) 244 CLR 72; [2011] HCA 31 Re Trivan Pty Ltd (1996) 134 FLR 368 Texts Cited: O'Donovan and Phillips, The Modern Contract of Guarantee (3rd English Ed, 2016, Sweet & Maxwell) Heydon JD, Leeming MJ and Turner PG, Meagher, Gummow and Lehane's Equity Doctrines and Remedies (5th ed, 2015, Butterworths) Geraldine Andrews and Richard Millett, Law of Guarantees (7th ed, 2015, Sweet & Maxwell) David Marks Q.C and Gabriel Moss Q.C, Rowlatt on Principal and Surety, (6th ed, 2011, Sweet & Maxwell) Charles Mitchell and Stephen Watterson, Subrogation Law and Practice (1st ed, 2007, Oxford University Press) Peter Handford, Limitation of Actions: the Laws of Australia (4th ed, 2017, Lawbook Co) Dr Ian Spry, The Principles of Equitable Remedies (6th ed, 2001, Thomson Reuters) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Djimi Barber (Plaintiff) Phillip De Prima (First Defendant) Isobelle Gidley (Second Defendant) Representation: Counsel: R Glasson (Plaintiff) E Finnane (First Defendant)