Armstrong v JLF Corporation Pty Ltd and ANOR; and; Miller v JLF Corporation Pty Ltd and ANOR

In the matter of *Armstrong v JLF Corporation Pty Ltd and ANOR* and *Miller v JLF Corporation Pty Ltd and ANOR*, the Supreme Court of Queensland considered two separate applications brought by the applicants, Armstrong and Miller, against the respondent, JLF Corporation Pty Ltd, and a second respondent. The applicants sought to set aside statutory demands issued by JLF Corporation.

The central legal issue before the Court was whether the applicants had established a genuine dispute regarding the existence of the debt claimed in the statutory demands, or whether there were other grounds to set them aside. Specifically, the Court had to determine if the applicants could demonstrate that the debts were genuinely disputed on substantial grounds, or if there was a serious question to be tried concerning the validity of the demands.

Judge Jarrett found that the applicants had failed to demonstrate a genuine dispute on substantial grounds. The Court applied the principles established in cases concerning the setting aside of statutory demands, requiring a real prospect of success in a defence to the claim. The evidence presented by the applicants did not meet this threshold, and the Court was not satisfied that there was a substantial question to be tried regarding the existence of the debts.

Consequently, the Court dismissed the applications to set aside the statutory demands.