Plaintiff/Defendant by Counterclaim v Defendant/Plaintiff by Counterclaim [2026] VSC 8 | Case summary

Supreme Court of Victoria|2026-01-23|Before: Irving AsJ

For the reasons given above I will grant Ms Otto's application for summary judgment in respect of paragraphs A and B of the prayer for relief in the plaintiff's statement of claim dated 23 October 2025. I have also decided to release Ms Otto from her undertaking given in the related proceeding. Accordingly I will grant Ms Otto's application made by summons filed 28 November 2025 in S ECI 2024 05966.
I request that the parties confer on the orders consequential to this ruling and on the issue of costs. If parties are unable to reach agreement on the terms of the orders within 10 days of the date of this ruling, the proceedings will be relisted for oral submissions.

[1] Order of the Supreme Court of New South Wales in Otto v ASICS Oceania Pty Ltd (Supreme Court of New South Wales, 2025/00188710, 12 August 2025).

[4] Plaintiff's consolidated statement of claim filed 23 October 2025, 2 [4].

[5] Ibid 1 [2]. The plaintiff's written submissions say that Ms Otto was the registered proprietor of 6 Malvern Avenue, Glen Iris during this period. I understand this to be a typographic error.

[10] Defendant's defence and counterclaim filed 30 October 2025, 2 [7(b)].

[14] Plaintiff's reply and defence to counterclaim filed 13 November 2025, 1 [1(a)].

[15] Defendant's summons filed 13 November 2025.

[16] Defendant's summons filed 28 November 2025 in Otto v ASICS Oceania Pty Ltd S ECI 2024 05966.

[17] Affidavit of Michael Phillip Masulans, 19 December 2025, 2 [7].

[20] [2013] VSCA 158; (2013) 42 VR 27, 40 [35] (Warren CJ and Nettle JA).

[22] Supreme Court (Civil Procedure) Rules 2025, r 22.16.

[24] (2009) 29 VR 213, 225-226, [62]-[65].

[25] Quoted with approval in Israfoods (2006) Ltd v J & D Consortium Pty Ltd [2019] VSC 323, [51] (Sloss J).

[26] JBS Southern Aust v Westcity Group Holdings [2011] VSC 476, [66] (Croft J).

[27] See De Saram v Brown [2015] VSCA 142, [160]-[164], (Digby AJA, with Ashley and Tate JJA agreeing). See also Klein v National Australia Bank [2015] VSC 460, [53]-[55] (Rush J).

[28] (2015) 256 CLR 104 ('Mount Bruce Mining').

[29] Ibid 116-117, [46]-[51] (French CJ, Nettle and Gordon JJ).

[30] Erect Safe Scaffolding (Australia) Pty Ltd v Sutton [2008] NSWCA 114; (2008) 72 NSWLR 1, 4 [5] (Giles JA), 21 [89] (Basten JA).

[31] Ankar Pty Ltd v National Westminster Finance (Australia) Ltd [1987] HCA 15; (1987) 162 CLR 549, 561 (Mason ACJ, Wilson, Brennan and Dawson JJ).

[33] Ankar Pty Ltd v National Westminster Finance (Australia) Ltd [1987] HCA 15; (1987) 162 CLR 549 (Mason ACJ, Wilson, Brennan and Dawson JJ).

[34] Roberts v Investwell Pty Ltd (in liq) [2012] NSWCA 134, [29] (Bathurst CJ with Beazley JA and Tobias AJA agreeing).

[41] Sparkling Waters Pty Ltd v Burgess Rawson & Associates Pty Ltd [2023] VSC 30, [39]-[40] (Daly AsJ), quoting JBS Southern Aust Pty Ltd v Westcity Group Holdings Pty Ltd [2011] VSC 476, [66] (Croft J).

[42] Codelfa Construction Pty Ltd v State Rail Authority of New South Wales (1982) 149 CLR 337, 352 (Mason J).

[44] Order of Judicial Registrar Lorenz in Otto v ASICS Oceania Pty Ltd (Supreme Court of Victoria, S ECI 2024 05966, 19 November 2024).

Courts (Cross-Vesting) Act 1987

Court (Civil Procedure) Rules 2025

Plaintiff/Defendant by Counterclaim v Defendant/Plaintiff by Counterclaim

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