Hunt & Hunt Lawyers v. Mitchell Morgan Nominees Pty Ltd and Ors
Case Nos.
S270/2012; S95/2012
Case Information
Lower Court Judgment
15/03/2012 Supreme Court of New South Wales (Court of Appeal) (Macfarlan JA, Sackville AJA)
Catchwords
Torts – Negligence – Proportionate liability – Loan and mortgage transactions effected by forged signatures of purported borrower/mortgagor – Mortgage registered but respondent lender's interest not indefeasible as security for loan amount – Respondent's solicitors ('the applicant') liable to respondent for negligence in failing to word mortgage so as to be indefeasible as security for loan amount – Sections 34 and 35 of the Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW), inter alia, limit liability of a defendant who establishes that other parties are concurrently liable to a plaintiff in respect of the damage or loss that is the subject of plaintiff's claim against the defendant – Whether insolvent fraudsters concurrent wrongdoer together with applicant – What is the correct approach to identifying 'the damage or loss that is the subject of the claim' within the meaning of s 34(2) of the Civil Liability Act 2002.
Torts – Negligence – Damages – Financial loss – Loss of Interest component – Forged mortgage – Scope of liability under s 5D Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW) – Whether Court of Appeal erred in holding that damages payable by applicant included amounts referable to interest rate provided in forged mortgage.
Documents
07/09/2012 Hearing (SLA, Sydney)
21/09/2012 Notice of appeal
02/10/2012 Written submissions (Appellant/Applicant)
02/10/2012 Chronology (Appellant/Applicant)
03/10/2012 Submitting appearance (Fourth Respondent)
24/10/2012 Written submissions (First and Second Respondents)
31/10/2012 Reply
12/12/2012 Hearing (Full Court, Canberra)
03/04/2013 Judgment (Judgment summary)
29/05/2013 Supplementary Judgment