McDonald v Dennys Lascelles Ltd: 1 Mar 1933

(High Court of Australia) ‘When a party to a simple contract, upon breach by the other contracting party of a condition of the contract, elects to treat the contract as no longer binding upon him, the contract is not rescinded as from the beginning. Both parties are discharged from the further performance of the contract, but rights are not divested or discharged which have already been unconditionally acquired. Rights and obligations which arise from the partial execution of the contract and causes of action which have accrued from its breach alike continue unaffected.’

Judges:

Dixon J

Citations:

(1933) 48 CLR 457

Links:

Austlii

Cited by:

CitedAstea (UK) Ltd v Time Group Ltd TCC 9-Apr-2003
The question of whether a reasonable time has been exceeded in performance of a contract is ‘a broad consideration, with the benefit of hindsight, and viewed from the time at which one party contends that a reasonable time for performance has been . .
ApprovedHyundai Heavy Industries Co Ltd v Papadopoulos HL 1980
A shipbuilding contract provided that the second instalment of the contract price should be payable on a day certain. It gave the builders the right to rescind the contract in the event of non-payment. The buyers failed to pay the second instalment, . .
RestatedBank of Boston Connecticut v European Grain and Shipping Ltd (‘The Dominique’) HL 1989
A shipping company and a shipper responsible for the freight disputed the effect of their contract. The ship was duly loaded with its cargo and set out for the voyage from India to Europe. The bills of lading were signed. When the ship called at . .
CitedHyundai Heavy Industries Co Ltd v Papadopoulos HL 1980
A shipbuilding contract provided that the second instalment of the contract price should be payable on a day certain. It gave the builders the right to rescind the contract in the event of non-payment. The buyers failed to pay the second instalment, . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Commonwealth, Contract

Updated: 30 April 2022; Ref: scu.199959