The rebel Wilson case, known to nerdy lawyer types as Wilson v Bauer Media, is the gift that keeps on giving in providing rulings related to the running of defamation trials. It was a hard fought, taken many points type of case.  That meant lots of arguments on points of law. In Wilson v Bauer Media (Ruling No 6) [2017] VSC 356 the court considered and ruled on the defence of triviality and partial justification.

DECISION

Triviliaty

The Plaintiff sought to have the defence of triviality not go to the jury.  The defendants pleaded Read the rest of this entry »

The Supreme Court, per Randall AsJ, considered an application to set aside a statutory demand in Re Bendigo Central Pharmacy Pty Ltd [2017] VSC 419. The key issue was whether issues ultimately relied upon were raised in the Plaintiff’s initial affidavit, filed within 21 days of the statutory demand being served and the scope and operation of Graywinter affidavits.

FACTS

The debt relied upon in the statutory demand Read the rest of this entry »

After a 6 day trial a jury found for the plaintiff in the defamation proceeding of Sheales v The Age & Ors [2017] VSC 380.  The Court awarded damages in the sum of $175,000.  The current maximum amount awardable for non-economic loss is $381,000.

FACTS

The Plaintiff, Sheales, is a Victorian barrister practicing mainly in criminal law and sports law. The Third Defendant, Patrick Bartley, was a journalist who wrote an article about the Plaintiff’s appearance before a Racing Victoria stewards hearing on 2 August 2015. An issue before the steward’s hearing that day concerned the alleged use of the chemical element cobalt by the plaintiff’s clients [1]. Fairfax Digital Australia and New Zealand Pty Ltd, the second defendant, published the article online. The first defendant, The Age Company Pty Ltd, the owner and publisher of The Age newspaper, published the article, with some small differences on 3 August 2015 [2].

The Plaintiff alleged that he had suffered injury to his professional reputation and feelings, had been humiliated, embarrassed or Read the rest of this entry »

In Medussa Enterprises Pty Ltd v Nationwide Concrete Pumping Pty Ltd [2017] VSC 275  the Victorian Supreme Court, per Gardiner AsJ, dismissed an application to set aside a staututory demand on the basis that there was no genuine dispute.

FACTS

Medusa claimed Read the rest of this entry »

The Supreme Court, per Sifris  J, heard an application under sections 233 and 461(1)(k) of the Corporations Act 2001 in  Peter Exton & Anor v Extons Pty Ltd & Ors [2017] VSC 14.

FACTS

Many oppression proceedings in the Corporations List involve family run companies.  Exton v Extons Pty Ltd is not unusual in this regard.  The First Plaintiff,  Peter, and the Sixth Defendant, Ian, are brothers. They each hold, either directly or indirectly, 50% of the shares in each of the companies that made up the Extons group. They are also directors of those companies [1].

The Extons group was commenced by Peter and Ian’s father and uncle in the 1950s, when it was started . It engages in earthworks, excavating and contracting in New South Wales and Victoria and occasionally sells machines including machines that it holds for the purposes of its contracting work [2].

Peter started Read the rest of this entry »

Applications for injunctive relief are not uncommon in the commercial division of the superior courts.  In Hera Project Pty Ltd v Bisognin & Anor [2016] VSC 591 Justice McCaulay considered an application arising relating to a contract of sale of land.

FACTS

His Honour described the events leading up to this application was Read the rest of this entry »

The Supreme Court in Pekell Delaire Holdings Pty Ltd v Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Limited [2016] VSC 570 considered a statutory demand where a key issue was the effect of settlement of group proceedings acting as a bar to a claim of a genuine dispute to a statutory demand.

FACTS

In July 2006 the applicant, Pekell Delaire Holdings Pty Ltd (“PDH”)  applied to Great Southern Plantation Projects for two grove lots in the Great Southern Organic Olives Income Project and  four vine lots in the Great Southern Wine Grape Income Project with associated applications for term finance. Finance was approved and funds were advanced on the basis of repayment in seven years of principal and interest. The loans were subsequently assigned and ultimately transferred to Bendigo [6] Read the rest of this entry »

In Complete Equipment Solutions Pty Ltd v Tesab Engineering Limited (A Company Registered in the United Kingdom, Company No. NI026214) [2016] VSC 253  Associate Justice Randall considered the question of service. This is not a common issue in modern day jurisprudence relating to statutory demands. In this case a failure to comply with the service requirements resulted in the plaintiff’s application being dismissed.

FACTS

The plaintiff, by originating process dated 9 November 2015,  made an application under s 459G of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) to set aside a statutory demand dated 14 October 2015 [1]. The court noted, with some annoyance, that the Read the rest of this entry »

In Golden Taste Investment Pty Ltd v Laurence & Ors [2016] VSC 250 Derham AsJ considered the plaintiff’s application for summary judgment under section 63 of the Civil Procedure Act 2010.

FACTS

The plaintiff is the master franchisee for the Cacao Green and Red Mango franchises for Australia and operates retail stores in Victoria selling frozen yogurt and coffee products [2].

The first defendant (‘Daniel’) was a director and Read the rest of this entry »

In Re Manlio (No 2) [2016] VSC 130 Justice MacDonald took quite serious action under powers under the Civil Procedure Act 2010 (the “CPA”) with significant consequences for a counsel involved in the case. This decision relates to the conduct of the legal representatives, not the substantive case itself. That decision was handed down on 21 December 2015 in Re Manlio [2015] VSC 733.

It is a particularly informative decision as to Read the rest of this entry »