DGF Property Holdings Pty Limited v Di Federico (No 3) [2020] NSWSC 510

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: DGF Property Holdings Pty Limited v Di Federico (No 3) [2020] NSWSC 510 Hearing dates: 21, 22 November 2019; final submissions received 27 April 2020 Decision date: 08 May 2020 Jurisdiction: Equity Before: Emmett AJA Decision: See paragraph [147] Catchwords: CONTRACTS — Remedies — Damages — Assessment — Re-opening case — Assessment of damages upon further evidence adduced by parties — Delay to development project caused by breach — Whether plaintiff entitled to claim full period of delay for purposes of determining damages based on evidence — Calculation of land taxes incurred over period

CORPORATIONS — Formation — Pre-registration contracts — Whether evidence established that "a person" purported to enter a contract on behalf of or for the benefit of a company prior to registration — Whether conduct of company shareholders and director capable of ratifying purported agreements after registration — Requirements of Corporations Act 2001 (Cth), s 131 Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), s 100 Conveyancing Act 1919 (NSW), s 66ZL Conveyancing Legislation Amendment Act 2018 (NSW) Corporations Act 2001 (Cth), s 131 Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (NSW), s 121B Cases Cited: BJ McAdam Pty Ltd v Jax Tyres Pty Ltd (No 3) [2012] FCA 1438 Black v Smallwood (1966) 117 CLR 52 Commercial Union Assurance Company of Australia Ltd v Ferrcom Pty Ltd (1991) 22 NSWLR 389 DGF Property Holdings Pty Limited v Di Federico; DGF Property Holdings Pty Limited v Butros [2018] NSWSC 344 DGF Property Holdings Pty Limited v Di Federico; DGF Property Holdings Pty Limited v Butros (No 2) [2018] NSWSC 1137 Ex parte Harper; re Rosenfield [1964-5] NSWLR 58 Kelner v Baxter (1866) LR 2 CP 174 Painaway Australia Pty Ltd v JAKL Group Pty Ltd [2011] NSWSC 205 Re Express Engineering Works Ltd [1920] 1 Ch 466; [1920] All ER Rep Ext 850 Sydney Appliances Pty Limited (in liquidation) v Robert Bosch (Australia) Pty Limited [2000] NSWSC 32; 33 ACSR 680 Verschures Creameries Limited v Hull & Netherlands Steamship Company Limited [1921] 2 KB 608 Texts Cited: Gino Dal Pont, Law of Agency (LexisNexis Butterworths, 2014) [5.29] and [5.31] W Bowstead, FMB Reynolds, P Watts, Bowstead and Reynolds on Agency (19th ed, 2010, Sweet & Maxwell), [2-071] Category: Principal judgment Parties: DGF Property Holdings Pty Limited (Plaintiff) Enzo Di Federico (First Defendant) Franca Di Federico (Second Defendant) Representation: Counsel: P M Barham (Plaintiff) M A Ashhurst SC (Defendants)