Vorontsov v Fong (No 2)

[2020] VSC 458

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF VICTORIA Not Restricted

AT MELBOURNE
COMMON LAW DIVISION
PROPERTY LIST

S ECI 2019 05464

DMITRI MIKHAILOVICH VORONTSOV	First Plaintiff
NATALYA IVANOVNA VORONTSOVA	Second Plaintiff
v
LE ROY FONG & ORS (according to the attached Schedule)	Defendants

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JUDICIAL OFFICER:	Matthews JR
WHERE HELD:	Melbourne
DATE OF HEARING:	On the papers
DATE OF RULING:	28 July 2020
CASE MAY BE CITED AS:	Vorontsov & Anor v Fong & Ors (No 2)
MEDIUM NEUTRAL CITATION:	[2020] VSC 458

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PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – Summary judgment – Whether plaintiffs have real prospects of success on their statement of claim – Civil Procedure Act 2010 (Vic), ss 62 and 63 – Lysaght Building Solutions Pty Ltd v Blanalko Pty Ltd (2013) 42 VR 27 – Applications for summary judgment allowed.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction........................................................................................................................................ 1

Background......................................................................................................................................... 6

Applicable law and principles...................................................................................................... 10

Summary judgment.................................................................................................................... 10

Plaintiffs self-represented.......................................................................................................... 13

The case as between Mr Vorontsov and Mr Fong..................................................................... 15

Mr Vorontsov’s claims against Mr Fong................................................................................. 15

Mr Fong’s defence....................................................................................................................... 16

Submissions................................................................................................................................. 20

Mr Fong’s submissions..................................................................................................... 20

Mr Vorontsov’s submissions............................................................................................ 22

Consideration.............................................................................................................................. 23

Payment of the Deposit and where it has been and is held.................................................... 24

The case as between Mr Vorontsov and ML............................................................................... 26

Mr Vorontsov’s claims against ML........................................................................................... 26

ML’s defence................................................................................................................................ 26

Submissions................................................................................................................................. 27

ML’s Submissions.............................................................................................................. 27

Mr Vorontsov’s Submissions........................................................................................... 30

Consideration.............................................................................................................................. 31

The case as between Mr Vorontsov and OBRE.......................................................................... 32

Mr Vorontsov’s claims against OBRE...................................................................................... 32

OBRE’s defence........................................................................................................................... 32

Submissions................................................................................................................................. 32

OBRE’s submissions.......................................................................................................... 32

Mr Vorontsov’s submissions............................................................................................ 33

Consideration.............................................................................................................................. 33

The case as between Mr Vorontsov and Contour...................................................................... 34

Mr Vorontsov’s claims against Contour.................................................................................. 34

Contour’s defence....................................................................................................................... 34

Submissions................................................................................................................................. 35

Contour’s submissions...................................................................................................... 35

Mr Vorontsov’s submissions............................................................................................ 35

Consideration.............................................................................................................................. 35

The case as between Ms Vorontsova and Mr Fong................................................................... 36

Ms Vorontsova’s claims against Mr Fong............................................................................... 36

Mr Fong’s defence....................................................................................................................... 37

Submissions................................................................................................................................. 39

Mr Fong’s submissions..................................................................................................... 39

Ms Vorontsova’s submissions......................................................................................... 41

Consideration.............................................................................................................................. 41

Mr Fong’s Deposit Application..................................................................................................... 42

Conclusion......................................................................................................................................... 46

JUDICIAL REGISTRAR:

Introduction

1. This decision concerns applications made by the first, third, fourth and fifth defendants, on summons, for summary judgment against the plaintiffs. There is also another application made by the first defendant, which I will explain further below. By orders made by the Court on its own motion, these summonses have all been referred to me for hearing and determination, pursuant to r 83.04 of the Supreme Court (General Civil Procedure) Rules 2015 (‘Rules’). 

1. The applications before the Court are as follows:

(a) an application for summary judgment pursuant to ss 62 and 63 of the Civil Procedure Act 2010 (Vic) (‘CPA’) by the first defendant, Le Roy Fong (‘Mr Fong’), and the fifth defendant, Contour Conveyancing Pty Ltd (‘Contour’), for judgment for them against the plaintiffs on their claims in the statement of claim dated 22 October 2019 (‘SOC’), made by summons originally filed on 17 February 2020 (‘Fong and Contour Summary Judgment Application’). Alternatively, Mr Fong and Contour seek orders that…