MARSHALLING SECURITIES and WORDS OF RELEASE Note on Hill v Love (2018) 53 V.R. 459 and Burness v Hill [2019] VSCA 94 © D.G. Robertson, Q.C., B.A., LL.M., M.C.I.Arb. Queen’s Counsel Victorian Bar 205 William Street, Melbourne Ph: 9225 7666 | Fax: 9225 8450 www.howellslistbarristers.com.au
[email protected] -2- Table of Contents 1. The Doctrine of Marshalling 3 2. The Facts in Hill v Love 5 2.1 Facts Relevant to Marshalling 5 2.2 Facts Relevant to the Words of Release Issue 6 3. The Right to Marshal 7 4. Limitations on and Justification of Marshalling 9 4.1 Principle 9 4.2 Arrangement as to Order of Realization of Securities 10 5. What is Secured by Marshalling? 11 5.1 Value of the Security Property 11 5.2 Liabilities at Time of Realization of Prior Security 12 5.3 Interest and Costs 14 6. Uncertainties in Marshalling 15 6.1 Nature of Marshalling Right 15 6.2 Caveatable Interest? 17 6.3 Proprietary Obligations 18 7. Construction of Words of Release 19 7.1 General Approach to the Construction of Contracts 19 7.2 Special Rules for the Construction of Releases 20 7.3 Grant v John Grant & Sons Pty. Ltd. 22 8. Other Points 24 8.1 Reasonable Security 24 8.2 Fiduciary Duty 24 8.3 Anshun Estoppel 25 This paper was presented on 18 September 2019 at the Law Institute of Victoria to the Commercial Litigation Specialist Study Group. Revised 4 December 2019. -3- MARSHALLING SECURITIES and WORDS OF RELEASE The decisions of the Supreme Court of Victoria in Hill v Love1 and, on appeal, Burness v Hill2 address the doctrine of marshalling securities and also the construction of words of release in terms of settlement.