Commentary and case law from the Commercial Bar Association's finest.
The Supreme Court of Victoria has determined to enforce part of an arbitration award under the Commercial Arbitration Act 2011 (Vic), while refusing to enforce other parts where the reasons were inadequate and which also failed to identify a specific and ascertainable award amount.
The NSW Court of Appeal has set aside an adjudication determination because the adjudicator made his finding on the basis of a reference date that was not available and because he denied the parties procedural fairness.
The High Court has significantly reduced the scope of the doctrine of quantum meruit in so far as it applies to work undertaken pursuant a contract which has been discharged. In such a case, quantum meruit is only available for completed work but for which a contract entitlement has not crystallised at discharge.
Court upholds VCAT decision to allow builder to recover on quantum meruit basis (after wrongful repudiation by owner), based exclusively on evidence of quantity surveyor; and finds that s 38 of the Domestic Building Contracts Act 1995 (Vic) does not apply to quantum meruit claims.
The Queensland Court of Appeal upholds an arbitrator’s award despite procedural missteps – no “real unfairness” or “practical injustice”.
Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act 1999 (NSW) – Adjudication determination quashed – failure to give adequate reasons
The Supreme Court of Victoria has found that a one-off special purpose company, incorporated for the sole purpose of carrying out a property development, was “in the business of building residences”, and therefore the Security of Payment Act applied to the dispute.
The Full Court of the Federal Court recently clarified the way in which the “side by side comparison” of trade marks is to be carried out in order to determine whether the two marks are substantially identical.
The clarification occurred in the context of an opposition to the registration of a trade mark pursuant to s 58 of the Trade Marks Act 1995 (Cth) (TMA). However, the Full Court’s clarification will have broader relevance as the question of whether a mark is substantially identical to another arises in several other sections of the TMA (for example sections 44, 120 and 122).
Arbitration – scope of arbitration agreement – whether a dispute as to an alleged breach of trust constitutes a “matter” within the scope of an arbitration agreement – proper approach to construction of arbitration agreement – whether the arbitration agreement incapable of being performed – application for stay of proceedings under s 8 of Commercial Arbitration Act 2012 (WA)
This article considers the relevant Acts, Rules and Practice Notes that apply in appealing a VCAT decision, identifies the documents that must be prepared, and provides an overview of the relevant appeal steps.
The NSW Court of Appeal determined, unanimously, that a finding by an adjudicator of an available reference date is not a jurisdictional fact and therefore is not a precondition to the making of a valid payment claim. On this basis the adjudicator’s decision was not amenable to judicial review.
On an application to enforce a foreign arbitral award in the Federal Court, the respondent unsuccessfully sought to resist enforcement on the grounds that he had not received “proper notice” of the original arbitration proceeding.
The NSW Security of Payment Act provides that an adjudication certificate may be filed in court as a judgment for a debt and may be enforced accordingly. A party argued that this enforcement regime, which does not allow judicial scrutiny of the debt, conflicts with federal law and is unlawful. By a 2-1 majority, the Full Court of the Federal Court found no conflict.