Shingle Inn Franchising Pty Ltd & Anor v Majestic Coffee Pty Ltd & Anor [2020] NSWDC 142

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Shingle Inn Franchising Pty Ltd & Anor v Majestic Coffee Pty Ltd & Anor [2020] NSWDC 142 Hearing dates: 18, 19 and 20 March 2020 Date of orders: 22 May 2020 Decision date: 22 May 2020 Jurisdiction: Civil Before: Smith SC, DCJ Decision: 1. Verdict and judgment on the amended statement of claim in favour of the second plaintiff against the defendants in the amount of $19,666.72. 2. Verdict and judgment on the cross claim in favour of the cross claimant against the first cross defendant in the amount of $171,292. 3. The parties are directed to submit short minutes of order within 14 days reflecting the appropriate amount of interest and costs in respect of each judgment. 4. Failing agreement in respect to order 3, each party is to file an outline of submissions on those issues of no more than 2 pages indicating whether there is consent to the issues being determined on the papers. Catchwords: LICENSING – Breach – licence agreement – licence term – unpaid fees. TORT – conversion – damages – conversion of business assets – value of goods. TORT – bank guarantee – failure to return on demand – conversion. Legislation Cited: Competition & Consumer (Industry Codes-Franchising) Regulation 2014 (Cth), Div 5 of Pt 3 to Sch 1 Cases Cited: Australian Development Corporation v Allco Steel Corporation [1999] NSWSC 736 Bunnings Group Limited v CHEP Australia Limited (2011) 82 NSWLR 420 Burns v MAN Automotive (Aust) Pty Ltd (1986) 161 CLR 653 Butler v Egg & Egg Pulp Marketing Board (1966) 114 CLR 185 Ferguson v Eakin & Ors [1997] NSWCA 106 Gaba Formwork Contractors Pty Ltd v Turner Corporation Ltd (1991) 32 NSWLR 175 Hoath v Connect Internet Services Pty Ltd (2006) 229 ALR 566 Hortico (Australia) Pty Ltd v Energy Equipment Co (Australia) Pty Ltd (1985) 1 NSWLR 545 M'Leod v M'Ghie (1841) 133 ER 771 MBF Australia Limited v Malouf [2008] NSWCA 214 OBG Ltd v Allan [2008] 1 AC 1 Simic v New South Wales Land & Housing Corporation (2016) 260 CLR 85 Strand Electric & Engineering Co Ltd v Brisford Entertainments Ltd [1952] 2 QB 246 T C Industrial Plant Pty Ltd v Robert's Queensland Pty Ltd (1963) 180 CLR 130 Wenkart v Pitman (1998) 46 NSWLR 502 Wood Hall Ltd v Pipeline Authority (1979) 141 CLR 443 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Shingle Inn Franchising Pty Ltd – First Plaintiff/First Cross Defendant Shingle Inn Leasing 1 Pty Ltd – Second Plaintiff/Second Cross Defendant Majestic Coffee Pty Ltd – First Defendant/Cross Claimant Troy Benjamin Battese – Second Defendant Representation: Counsel: Mr M Gunning – Plaintiffs/Cross Defendant Ms McDonald - Defendants/ Cross Claimant