Pearl Lingerie Australia Pty Ltd v TGY Pty Ltd; Pearl Lingerie Australia Pty Ltd v Giarratana [2012] VSC 451

Supreme Court of Victoria|2012-09-28|Before: CROFT J

CAVEATS - Lodgement of caveats without proper basis - Caveats lodged in spite of express warning by Court that the lodgement of further caveats must have a proper basis

COSTS - Whether indemnity costs should be ordered against Solicitors personally - Solicitors failed to read documents which allegedly supported caveatable interest prior to lodgement of caveat on behalf of client - Solicitors proceeded to defended lodgement of two caveats without having regard to supporting documentation - Solicitors defended caveats on the basis of instructions only - Solicitors acted in wilful disregard of known facts and law - Serious misconduct and serious dereliction of duty - Indemnity costs ordered against Solicitors personally - ; - [2012] VSC 271 - - r 63.23

Mr J. Kotsifas (only on 30 August 2012) and Mr M. Orguzan (30 August 2012 and 3 September 2012)

1 These are two separate applications made by two summonses each dated 21 August 2012 against separate defendants, Mr John Giarratana ("Mr Giarratana") and TGY Pty Ltd ("TGY") (together, "the Defendants"), for orders under s 90(3) of the Transfer of Land Act 1958 that caveats lodged by each of them over the Plaintiff's property situated at 107 Wells Road, Chelsea Heights, Victoria and more particularly described in Certificate of Title Volume 9948 Folio 832 ("the Property") be removed from the title. As at 21 August 2012, the date of the summonses, the Plaintiff was the sole registered proprietor of the Property, a large vacant 3.5 hectare lot the subject of a proposed shopping centre development,[1] which had been sold to a third party pursuant to a contract of sale dated 3 August 2012. Settlement was due to take place on 31 August 2012.

2 On 25 July 2012, Mr Giarratana lodged caveat no. AJ817478P on the title to the Property, claiming an "estate in fee simple" over the whole of the Property. Mr Giarratana claimed the Plaintiff "holds its interest in the said land as trustee for itself and the caveator John Giarratana pursuant to an implied, resulting or constructive trust". The caveat was lodged by Mr Giarratana personally.

3 On 30 July 2012, TGY lodged caveat no. AJ826363G on the title to the Property, claiming an "estate in fee simple" over the whole of the Property pursuant to an "implied, resulting or constructive trust".[2] The directors of TGY are Mr Giarratana, Tina Giarratana, Guek Long Yin and Kim Hor Thea. The caveat was lodged by TGY's solicitors, John Kotsifas & Associates ("the Solicitors") on behalf of TGY.

4 The Plaintiff sought the following relief in the summonses dated 21 August 2012:

(a) the Court dispense with the requirements of rules 5.03(1) and 8.02 of the Supreme Court (General Civil Procedure) Rules 2005 ("the Rules") and authorise the Plaintiff to commence the proceedings by originating motion in Form 5C;

(b) the Court hear and determine immediately the originating motions filed in each of the proceedings;

(d) the Registrar of Titles be ordered pursuant to section 90(3) of the Transfer of Land Act to remover caveat numbers AJ817478P and AJ826363G from the land in folio of the Register Volume 09948 Folio 823;

(e) such further or other order as the Court deems appropriate; and

(f) the Defendants pay the Plaintiff's costs of an incidental to the respective applications and originating motions.

5 On the return of the applications on 27 August 2012, Justice Judd adjourned the Plaintiff's applications for the removal of the caveats to 30 August 2012 to enable the Defendants to file any affidavit material on which they sought to rely by midday on 29 August 2012.

6 I heard and determined the application for the removal of the caveats on 30 August 2012 in the Practice Court. Counsel for the Plaintiff in written and oral submissions denied the Defendants had a interest in the Property. The Plaintiff submitted that in order for the Defendants to establish a caveatable interest, the Defendants were required to establish that:

(a) there was a probability on the evidence before the Court that he or she would be found to have the asserted equitable rights or interest; and

(b) that probability was sufficient to justify the practical effect which the caveat has on the ability of the registered proprietor to deal with the property in question in accordance with their normal proprietary rights.[3]

7 The Defendants submitted that the basis of the claim for an implied, resulting or constructive trust over the Property in each of the caveats was founded in a "joint venture agreement" entered into between Mr Giarratana, Kim Thea and Guek Long Yin dated 18 December 2010,[4] through oral discussions between Mr Giarratana and Kim Thea in relation to that agreement, and other conduct of the Defendants in implementing the agreement. It was submitted by the Defendants' solicitor that the payment of expenses associated with the development works on the Property,[5] the refinancing of an existing loan entered into for the purpose of financing the development works, and the provision of guarantees by TGY and Mr Giarratana in relation to loans[6] supported the Defendants' claim for an implied, resulting or constructive trust over the Property. During the course of submissions, I indicated the "joint venture agreement" did not appear to be binding or enforceable on the basis the "joint venture agreement" appeared to be an agreement subject to contract, falling into the third category of Masters v Cameron.[7]

8 Counsel for the Plaintiff submitted in response that the mere entering into a joint venture agreement in relation to land, and the obtaining of finance or the provision of a guarantee by a party to a joint venture agreement, does not confer an interest in land.[8] In addition, Counsel for the Plaintiff submitted that the Property was wholly owned by the Plaintiff and, even if the "joint venture agreement" contemplated the transfer of ownership of the Property, an interest in the Property was never conferred on or transferred to the Defendants. The Plaintiff also submitted that the balance of convenience favoured the removal of the caveats, having regard to the nature of each caveat, which prohibited dealing in the Property, and that the Defendants could, in any event, recover against the Plaintiffs subject to them successfully establishing a claim for damages against the Plaintiff. The Plaintiff pointed to the fact it was providing vendor finance in the sum of $2.3 million to the purchaser of the Property under the contract of sale which the Plaintiff expects to be repaid in the future. Thus it submitted there are assets which would support any successful claim for damages on the part of the Defendants.

9 Even assuming that the "joint venture agreement" was presently enforceable as an agreement it contains no provision conferring any interest in the Property, by way of charge or otherwise - a position which was ultimately conceded by the Defendants' solicitor in the course of submissions.[9] Additionally, there was no evidence which the Defendants' solicitor could identify in the material relied upon by the Defendants supporting an implied, resulting or constructive trust or any other basis for a caveatable interest in the Property. Accordingly I found that the Defendants had failed to establish any basis for a caveatable interest in the Property. Furthermore, I determined that the balance of convenience favoured the removal of the caveats. Even if there were some doubt as to the existence of any interest which could support the caveats the caveators have a remedy in damages, an adequate remedy in all the circumstances, if a successful basis of claim could be established. This, together with the fact that there is a fund against which such a claim could be made, means that the actual or potential prejudice that would be suffered by the Plaintiff if the sale of the Property were prevented by the maintenance of the caveats tilts the balance firmly in favour of their removal. On these bases, I ordered the Defendants to execute withdrawal of caveat forms in relation to the caveats forthwith and provide the same to the plaintiff, or, in the alternative, that the caveats be removed pursuant to s 90(3) of the Transfer of Land Act.

10 The Plaintiff sought costs in each proceeding on an indemnity basis from the Defendants and their Solicitors jointly and severally. Having regard to the nature and seriousness of the application for indemnity costs against the Defendants and their Solicitors, and to enable the Defendants and the Solicitors to consider their respective positions in respect to indemnity costs, I adjourned the hearing of the costs application to 3 September 2012.

11 In its written and oral submissions, the Plaintiff submitted that the caveats lodged by the Defendants were unsupported by any documentary or oral agreement that could substantiate the interest claimed in the caveats, or any other interest in the Property. The Plaintiff submitted the circumstances were similar to those in Ren v Shi,[10] in that:

(a) The caveat has been maintained in circumstances where the Defendants, properly advised, should have known that they had no chance of success; and

(b) The defective and improperly lodged caveat was being used as a "bargaining chip".

12 The Plaintiff submitted that in the circumstances an award of indemnity costs was appropriate. During the course of submissions at the resumption of the hearing on 3 September 2012, the Defendants' solicitor agreed that an indemnity costs order should be made against the Defendants, to be taxed in default of agreement.[11]

13 The remaining contested issue arising out of the costs application was whether or not the Solicitors should be ordered to pay costs on an indemnity basis in relation to the lodgement, maintenance and defence of the TGY caveat, and in relation to the defence of the caveat lodged by Mr Giarratana. Having regard to the nature and serious of the issues raised in this case, I considered it necessary to publish reasons in relation to this issue; though I did make orders at the conclusion of the hearing.

14 The Court has the power to make an order that the Solicitors pay the plaintiff's costs of the proceeding. This power arises from the Court's inherent jurisdiction,[12] s 24 of the Supreme Court Act 1986 and under rule 63.23 of the Rules.

15 In White Industries (Qld) Pty Ltd v Flower & Hart (a firm),[13] Goldberg J said in relation to a Court's power to award costs against a solicitor personally:[14]

"The primary object of the jurisdiction is to reimburse to a party to proceedings costs which that party has incurred because of the default of the practitioner, that is to say it is a jurisdiction which is compensatory rather than punitive or disciplinary: Myers v Elman [1940] 2 AC 282 at 289, 319 (cf 303 per Lord Atkin at 303 who said that the jurisdiction was punitive); Davy-Chiesman v Davy-Chiesman [1984] Fam 48 at 59, 60; Edwards v Edwards [1958] P 235 at 248; Orchard v South Eastern Electricity Board [1987] 1 QB 565 at 571; Michael v Frehill Hollingdale & Page [1990] 3 WAR 223 at 233; Monitoronix Ltd v Michael (1992) 7 WAR 195 at 201. The judgments in Myers v Elman are not consistent particularly in relation to whether the relevant jurisdiction is compensatory or punitive but subsequent cases have proceeded on the basis that the jurisdiction is compensatory: Maurox v Soc Com Abel Pereira da Fonseca SARL [1972] 1 WLR 962 at 970; Currie & Co v Law Society [1977] 1 QB 990 at 997; Orchard v South Eastern Electricity Board."

16 After reviewing a number of the authorities, Goldberg J said:[15]

"This analysis of the cases makes it clear that the jurisdiction to order costs against the unsuccessful party's solicitors is enlivened when they have unreasonably initiated or continued an action when it had no or substantially no prospects of success but such unreasonableness must relate to reasons unconnected with success in the litigation or to an otherwise ulterior purpose or to a serious dereliction of duty or serious misconduct in promoting the cause of and the proper administration of justice. Further, the cases establish the proposition that it is a relevant serious dereliction of duty or misconduct not to have reasonable or proper attention to the relevant law and facts in circumstances where if such attention had been given it would have been apparent that there were no worthwhile prospects of success."

17 In relation to the TGY caveat, the Plaintiff submitted that the Solicitors in preparing and lodging the caveat had failed to properly investigate whether TGY had adequate grounds to lodge and maintain the caveat. The relevant documents should have been reviewed at the time of preparing and lodging the caveat. Had they been reviewed, a competent solicitor would have formed the view that the documents did not disclose a basis for TGY to claim an interest in the land.

18 In relation to the Giarratana caveat (lodged by Mr Giarratana personally), the Plaintiff submitted that while the caveat had not been lodged by the Solicitors, it was nevertheless in an identical form to the caveat prepared and lodged by the Solicitors on behalf of TGY. The Plaintiff submitted that in these circumstances it is more likely than not that the Firm had prepared the wording of the caveat and provided it to Mr Giarratana, who then subsequently acted on his behalf and defended the lodging of the caveat on his behalf. In all the circumstances I think this is a reasonable inference.

19 In support of its application in both proceedings, the Plaintiff submitted it was required to commence proceedings four weeks earlier to remove a caveat lodged by Tina Giarratana (in S CI 2012 04172) ("the July proceedings") over the Property, claiming an equitable interest as chargee pursuant to a loan agreement dated 15 November 2011, in circumstances where she was aware the property had been sold and awaiting settlement.[16] Tina Giarratana is both a director of TGY and the wife of Mr Giarratana. Tina Giarratana was represented by Mr John Kotsifas, principal of the Solicitors, at the hearing of the July proceedings before Justice Ferguson.

20 On 26 July 2012 Justice Ferguson ordered the removal of the caveat and indemnity costs against Tina Giarratana on the basis the affidavit material filed by Tina Giarratana failed to support the interest claimed.[17] Counsel for the Plaintiff (who represented the Plaintiff in the July proceedings) said that the Plaintiff in the July proceedings made an oral application seeking an injunction restraining Tina Giarratana from lodging further caveats over the Property.[18] While her Honour refused the oral application on the facts and material before the Court, her Honour warned the parties that 'if there is a further caveat to be lodged it will need to be grounded on a proper basis that could be sustained on the principles in Piroschenko v Grojsman'.[19]

21 The Plaintiff also relied on letters sent from the Plaintiff's solicitor to the Solicitors dated 27 July 2012[20] and 30 July 2012,[21] respectively (sent following the hearing before Justice Ferguson), in relation to the lodgement of further caveats by Tina Giarratana and the caveat subsequently lodged by TGY. The letter dated 27 July 2012 contains what is, in effect, a preamble and notice of the Plaintiffs' position in the event of loss resulting from the lodgement of a further caveat:

We are informed by Mr Mark Black barrister briefed to appear on behalf of our client that your client would lodge a further caveat with Land Victoria claiming an interest in the property pursuant to a constructive trust.

We refer you to the decision in Depas Pty Ltd v Dimitriou (2006) VSC 281 and also the decision of Gowans J in Epple v Wilson [1972] VicRp 50; (1972) VR 440. Based on the contents of your client's affidavit sworn 25 July 2012 and the said cases it is clearly evident that your client does not have an interest in the property.

Accordingly, should you[r] client proceed with lodging a further caveat our client will apply to the Supreme Court for the removal thereof. Further TAKE NOTICE that our client will hold your client liable for any losses resulting in the delay in the settlement of the sale of the property."

22 The letter dated 30 July 2012 sought an explanation of the basis of TGY's claimed caveatable interest and put the Solicitors on notice, unequivocally, that if the Plaintiff is required to make an application to remove the caveat, it would seek an order for indemnity costs against those Solicitors, personally. The letter relevantly states:[22]

We hereby put you on notice that, in the event that you do not comply with the above, we will issue proceedings for the removal of the Caveat tomorrow. We will be relying upon this correspondence and our previous correspondence for all relevant purposes.

We also put you on notice that our client will hold your client and TGY Pty Ltd liable for any losses resulting in the delay in the settlement of the sale of the property.

Finally, we hereby put you on notice that we reserve the right to seek an indemnity costs order against you personally on the basis that, at the time of lodging the Caveat, you will have known (particularly in light of our correspondence to you of 27 July 2012), that TGY Pty Ltd did not have a caveatable interest in the property but you nevertheless proceeded to lodge it." (italicised emphasis added)

23 In response to the Plaintiff's submissions, the Defendants' solicitor submitted that the caveat lodged by Mr Giarratana was lodged by Mr Giarratana personally, the Solicitors received instructions on 24 August 2012 to act for Mr Giarratana, and that the Court should not exercise its discretion to order indemnity costs against the Solicitors personally.

24 During the course of oral submissions and discussions with the Defendants' solicitor, it became clear that the Solicitors did not have possession of the documents alleged to support the basis of either caveat (being the documentation exhibited to the affidavits of John Giarratana sworn 29 August 2012 in these proceedings) until midday on 29 August 2012. The solicitor appearing on behalf of the Defendants stated in open Court that he proceeded to defend the lodgement of the caveats on behalf of the Defendants without having read the documents which were said to support the Defendants' caveatable interest, and that he was acting on the basis of instructions from the Defendants that in their opinion they had a caveatable interest over the Property.[23]

25 These statements support the Plaintiff's contention that when the proceedings were heard on 30 August 2012, the Defendant's solicitor was unfamiliar with the documents exhibited to the affidavits filed on behalf of the Defendants. In the absence of evidence to the contrary, these statements support the contention that the Solicitors prepared and lodged the TGY caveat in circumstances where they could not have formed a professional view at the time of preparing and lodging the caveat that TGY had a caveatable interest in the Property. Even if it were arguable that there was a caveatable interest at the time of preparing and lodging the TGY caveat, it should have become apparent to the Solicitors in the process of preparing the affidavit material sworn in these proceedings on 29 August 2012 (in preparation of the defence to the lodgement of the caveats lodged by Mr Giarratana and TGY) that the Defendants had no basis of maintaining the caveats.

26 In my opinion, the conduct of the Solicitors in preparing and lodging the TGY caveat, and their subsequent conduct of defending the caveats lodged by Mr Giarratana and TGY respectively without any consideration of the underlying documents said to support the caveatable interests, instead relying on instructions provided by the Defendants that they had a caveatable interest in the Property, demonstrates very clearly that those Solicitors acted in wilful disregard of known facts and law which, in my view, amounts to serious misconduct and a serious dereliction of duty on their part. This is particularly so having regard to the clear and express warning given by Justice Ferguson in the July proceedings, on 26 July 2012, that any further caveats lodged over the Property must have a proper basis. Although this warning by her Honour in the July proceedings was in relation to a caveat lodged by Tina Giarratana, who is not a party to these proceedings, the Solicitors ought to have been put on notice and have been acutely aware of the position that any caveat lodged over the Property by any person or entity associated with Tina Giarratana arising out of the same or substantially similar facts and circumstances required a proper basis.

27 On the basis of the facts and circumstances in these proceedings, which I have outlined, and for the reasons indicated I find the caveats lodged by Mr Giarratana personally and by the Solicitors on behalf of TGY had no proper basis, in spite of the warning from Justice Ferguson on 26 July 2012 and the correspondence from the Plaintiff's solicitor to which reference has been made. Further, I find that the caveats were maintained by the Defendants and defended by the Solicitors without any prospect of success and in wilful disregard of known facts and law in circumstances where the Solicitors had not received the documents said to support the caveats until midday on 29 August 2012, one day before the hearing of the applications. In addition, I find that the caveats were lodged by Mr Giarratana and by the Solicitors on behalf of TGY for an ulterior purpose, namely for use as a "bargaining chip" in their dealings with the Plaintiff in circumstances where the Property had been sold and was awaiting settlement. In all of the circumstances, and having regard to the manner in which these proceedings were conducted in support of the caveats, it would be difficult to draw any other inference.

28 In relation to costs, I find that the conduct of the Solicitors in preparing and lodging the TGY caveat, and in defending the Defendants' claim of a caveatable interest before the Court on 30 August 2012 was in wilful disregard of known facts and law which, in all the circumstances, constitutes serious misconduct and a serious dereliction of duty justifying an indemnity costs order against the Solicitors personally. As indicated previously the Defendants' solicitor agreed that an indemnity costs order ought to be made against the Defendants.[24]

29 For these reasons, I made the following orders on 30 August 2012 and 3 September 2012:

1. The requirements of rules 5.03(1) and 8.02 of the Rules are dispensed with and the Plaintiff is authorised to commence a proceeding by originating motion in Form 5C;

2. The Defendants forthwith execute a Withdrawal of Caveat form in respect of Caveats AJ817478P and AJ826363G and provide the same to the Plaintiff forthwith;

3. Alternatively, Caveats AJ817478P and AJ826363G are ordered pursuant to section 90(3) of the Transfer of Land Act 1958 to be removed from the land in the folio of the Register Volume 9948 Folio 823;

5. The Plaintiff's application filed 21 August 2012 is adjourned to Monday, 3 September 2012 at 2:15pm in Court 15 for the purposes of considering:

(a) an application by the Plaintiff that the Defendants pay the Plaintiff's costs on an indemnity basis;

(b) an application by the Plaintiff that the Defendants' solicitor, John Kotsifas, be personally liable for the Plaintiff's costs.

1. The Defendants and the Defendants' solicitors, J. Kotsifas & Associates, jointly and severally pay the Plaintiff's costs of an incidental to this application and the originating motion, including reserved costs, on an indemnity basis.

30 Finally, because of the nature and seriousness of my findings, I will forward a copy of these reasons (and make any papers available) to the Victorian Legal Services Commissioner with a request that the Commissioner take further action as considered appropriate.

[1] Affidavit of Kim Hor Thea sworn 21 August 2012, paragraph 4.

[2] Ex KHT-6 to the Affidavit of Kim Hor Thea sworn 21 August 2012 in proceeding no. SCI 2012 4798.

[3] Piroschenko v Grojsman & Ors [2010] VSC 240.

[4] Exhibit JG-15 to the Affidavit of John Giarratana sworn 29 August 2012.

[5] Exhibit JG-2 to the Affidavit of John Giarratana sworn 29 August 2012, and see para 9.

[6] Exhibit JG-8 to the Affidavit of John Giarratana sworn 29 August 2012

[7] [1954] HCA 72; (1954) 91 CLR 353, at 361 (Dixon CJ, McTiernan and Kitto JJ).

[8] See Polidoro Developments Pty Ltd v Hayek & Anor [2012] VSC 20, at [17]-[20].

[9] Transcript (30 August 2012), pp 6.22 - 10.05. I put to the solicitor appearing on behalf of the Defendants, that there seemed to be an argument that the "joint venture agreement" was not presently enforceable on the basis of the third category of agreements referred to in Masters v Cameron [1954] HCA 72; (1954) 91 CLR 353 at 360 (that is an agreement where the parties intend no binding contract unless and until a formal contract comes into force). There was no meaningful response.

[11] Transcript (3 September 2012), p 16.20-.26:

"Mr Oguzhan: ... Now I don't dispute that the plaintiff's entitled to indemnity costs from the defendants, but we dispute that any indemnity costs be awarded from referring to the actual plaintiffs.

His Honour: So you agree to an indemnity costs order against the defendants?

Mr Oguzhan: Yes, we do, Your Honour, to be taxed in default. ..."

[12] Myers v Elman [1940] AC 282.

[16] Transcript (27 July 2012), p 5.17 - .24.

[17] Transcript (27 July 2012), pp 15.18 - 16.03.

[18] Affidavit of Kim Hor Thea sworn 21 August 2012, para 28 (in S CI 2012 4798).

[19] Affidavit of Kim Hor Thea sworn 21 August 2012, para 28 (in S CI 2012 4798), and see Transcript (27 July 2012), pp 15.26 - 16.03.

[20] Affidavit of Kim Hor Thea sworn 21 August 2012, para 29 and Ex KHT-12 (in S CI 2012 4798).

[21] Affidavit of Kim Hor Thea sworn 21 August 2012, para 30 and Ex KHT-13 (in S CI 2012 4798).

[22] Affidavit of Kim Hor Thea sworn 21 August 2012, para 30 and Ex KHT-13 (in S CI 2012 4798).

[23] Transcript (3 September 2012), pp 16.27 - 19.08:

"Mr Oguzhan: ... We submit that the we act behind instructions in this, Your Honour, so when we were advised - when we were instructed by Mr John Giarratana and TGY which are instructions provided by Tina Giarratana that there were documents and evidentiary other documents that stipulated that there was an actual caveatable interest we - - - -

Mr Oguzhan: The documents that were subsequently annexed to the affidavit which is subsequently - - -

His Honour: We went through [this] last week didn't we?

His Honour: You couldn't tell me - you couldn't point to any basis upon which there was a caveatable interest?

Mr Oguzhan: That's correct. Now those documents were fortunately provided to our office the day before they were due at 12 o'clock.

Mr Oguzhan: The day pursuant to the previous orders that they were to be filed and served by 12 o'clock.

His Honour: You mean you didn't have those documents before then?

Mr Oguzhan: No, that's correct, Your Honour. So - - -

His Honour: But you're quite happy to defend the two caveats not having the faintest idea what the documents looked like which were said to support them?

Mr Oguzhan: It was based on instructions provided from the client and acting on those instructions. It was mainly acting on behalf of TGY where the plaintiff's directors were also a part of TGY Pty Ltd. So there's two parties of Pearle Lingerie, two directors of Pearle Lingerie who are also a director of TGY and subsequently so is the defendant, Tina Giarratana.

His Honour: Are you telling me as an officer of this court that you were prepared to maintain two caveats in spite of [applications] in this Court to remove them - - -

His Honour: - - - in circumstances where you hadn't even seen the underlying documents that are said to support the caveatable interest, the constructive trust, and you took simply that there was a conduit with instructions from clients who came to you [and] said, "We've got an interest in this land under a constructive trust", and you simply accepted that and proceeded accordingly, is that what happened?

Mr Oguzhan: I'm aware of the circumstances, Your Honour I didn't act then, I don't have the care and conduct of the matter, I'm only appearing today on my friend's behalf. That would be a question to the principle of the firm, You Honour.

His Honour: You're coming here today to defend your firm, apart from your clients - as well as your clients, from costs orders which are being sought against you and you - all you're able to say to me in terms of the firm's position is that the firm hadn't seen the documents said to support the caveatable interest until 12 o'clock last Thursday, which was about an hour and a quarter before I heard the matter in the Practice Court, and before that you were prepared to defend the position as against the plaintiffs that the defendants had an equitable interest in the land under a constructive trust, you'd never seen the documents, never taken any steps to form a professional view as lawyers as to whether that was right or not. Is that correct?

His Honour: Well, why isn't it? Where's the evidence that says it's not?

Mr Oguzhan: We were instructed that there was evidence, but subsequently the clients did not provide that - - -

[24] See above, paragraph 12.

Court (General Civil Procedure) Rules 2005

At a glance

Court

Decision date

Before

Source

Judgment (102 paragraphs)

Legislation Cited (3)

Cases Cited (3)