CTHFCA
Agresta v Taylor
[2014] FCA 262
Federal Court of Australia|2014-03-26|Before: Jagot J
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Source factsCourt
Federal Court of Australia
Decision date
2014-03-26
Before
Jagot J
Source
Original judgment source is linked above.
Judgment (5 paragraphs)
[1]
- INTRODUCTION 1 The applicant, Ferdinando Agresta, is a bankrupt. The respondent, Barry Taylor, is his trustee in bankruptcy. The applicant is aggrieved by a number of decisions the respondent has made, as well as a range of other circumstances relating to his bankruptcy. In order to understand the applicant's contentions it is necessary to identify the circumstances leading up to his claims against the respondent. 2 On 28 June 2010, the Federal Magistrates Court of Australia made a sequestration order against the applicant and appointed the respondent as the trustee of the applicant's bankrupt estate. The bankruptcy remains undischarged. 3 The applicant contends that during 2009, before he was made bankrupt, a company which he represented (Phoenix Commercial Enterprises Pty Ltd) (Phoenix), entered into an agreement with the owners of a property in Mosman in connection with the carrying out of building work. The owners of that property, David Kidd and Odele Smith, subsequently entered into a building contract with another company associated with the applicant known as Escon Pty Ltd (Escon). The arrangements between Escon as builder and Mr Kidd and Ms Smith as clients were made after the applicant had been declared bankrupt. Subsequent disputes between the applicant, Phoenix, Escon and the owners of the Mosman property led to proceedings in the Consumer, Trader and Tenancy Tribunal (the CTTT). The CTTT proceedings were between Escon, represented by the applicant, and Mr Kidd and Ms Smith. On 19 March 2013, the CTTT decided that Escon could not succeed in its claims against Mr Kidd and Ms Smith. The applicant, thereafter, appealed against the CTTT's decision to the District Court of New South Wales in his own name. The other party to the District Court proceedings as commenced was the CTTT. Subsequently, the applicant amended the summons commencing the proceedings to substitute Mr Kidd and Ms Smith for the CTTT as defendants to the proceedings. 4 In the meantime, on 2 June 2013, the applicant entered into a deed with Escon. Relevant provisions of the deed include the following: