Montgomery v Porter [2019] NSWSC 1524

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Montgomery v Porter [2019] NSWSC 1524 Hearing dates: 30 October 2019 Date of orders: 06 November 2019 Decision date: 06 November 2019 Jurisdiction: Equity Before: Ward CJ in Eq Decision: (1) Order pursuant to s 6(3) of the Jurisdiction of Courts (Cross-vesting) Act 1987 (Cth) that these proceedings be determined in this Court. (2) Dismiss the defendants' notice of motion filed 20 September 2019 insofar as it seeks an order that these proceedings be transferred to the Federal Court of Australia or otherwise permanently stayed. (3) Reserve the costs of the plaintiff's notice of motion filed 19 September 2019 and of the defendants' notice of motion filed 20 September 2019. Catchwords: CIVIL PROCEDURE — Cross-vesting — Transfer to Federal Court – application by the defendants for transfer of the proceedings to the Federal Court – in circumstances where the proceedings engage the jurisdiction in bankruptcy within the meaning of s 27 of the Bankruptcy Act 1966 (Cth) – whether there are "special reasons" under s 6(3) of the Jurisdiction of Courts (Cross-vesting) Act 1987 (Cth) for the proceedings to be determined in the Supreme Court – held that the financial position of the plaintiff and her difficult financial circumstances constitute special reasons for the matter to be determined in the Supreme Court Legislation Cited: Bankruptcy Act 1966 (Cth), ss 27, 31(1)(f), 58, 123(3) Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), s 56 Conveyancing Act 1919 (NSW), s 66G Family Law Act 1975 (Cth), s 79 Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth),s 39B Jurisdiction of Courts (Cross-vesting) Act 1987 (Cth), ss 3(1)(e), 6(1), 6(3), 6(4) Property (Relationships) Act 1984 (NSW), ss 4(1), 5(1), 8, 9, 14, 20, 47(2) Real Property Act 1900 (NSW), s 90 Cases Cited: Baumgartner v Baumgartner (1987) 164 CLR 137; [1987] HCA 59 Baykal v Van Der Velde [2017] NSWSC 36 Deputy Commissioner of Taxation v TD Preece Pty Ltd [2013] FCA 1365 Draper v Official Trustee in Bankruptcy (2006) 156 FCR 53; [2006] FCAFC 157, Henry v Hancock [2016] NSWSC 71 Huen v Official Receiver [2008] FCAFC 117; (2008) 248 ALR 1 James v James (No.2) [2019] NSWSC 116 Kerr as trustee of the property of Janice Mary Kehlet (a bankrupt) v Kehlet [2019] FCA 1572 Mateljan v HTT Huntley Heritage Pty Ltd (in its own right and as trustee of the Huntley Trust) [2016] NSWCA 20; (2016) 111 ACSR 277 Pedersen v Delaveris [2010] FCA 536 Prentice v Cummins (2003) 134 FCR 449; [2003] FCA 1002 Preston v Diaspora Holdings Pty Ltd; Diaspora Holdings Pty Ltd v Owners Corporation of Strata Plan 68608 [2019] NSWSC 651 Scott v Bagshaw (2000) 99 FCR 573; [2000] FCA 816 Sharpless v McKibbin [2007] NSWSC 1498 Silvia (Trustee) v Williams, in the matter of Williams (Bankrupt) [2018] FCA 189 Truthful Endeavour Pty Ltd v Condon (2015) 233 FCR 174; [2015] FCAFC 70 Turner v Gorkowski [2014] VSCA 248 Wileypark Pty Ltd v AMP Limited [2018] FCAFC 143 Category: Procedural and other rulings Parties: Lynette Susan Montgomery (First Plaintiff) Jason Porter (First Defendant) Anne Meagher (Second Defendant) Representation: Counsel: J Baird (Plaintiff) A Spencer (Defendant)