SINODENTAL INVESTMENTS LTD AND OTHERS v. SIN CHUNG YIN RONALD AND OTHERS

SINODENTAL INVESTMENTS LTD AND OTHERS v. SIN CHUNG YIN RONALD AND OTHERS

The court dismissed the strike‑out application and allowed the amendment because on the pleaded facts the plaintiffs' case was not plainly unsustainable: circumstantial allegations could support inferences of participation and conspiracy and proposed amendments cured inconsistencies; therefore it would be...

Source-derived case information.

Citation
SINODENTAL INVESTMENTS LTD AND OTHERS v. SIN CHUNG YIN RONALD AND OTHERS
Parties
1st Plaintiff: SINODENTAL INVESTMENTS LIMTED; 2nd Plaintiff: HEALTH & CARE GROUP LIMITED (恒健醫療集團有限公司); 3rd Plaintiff: HEALTH & CARE DENTAL CLINIC LIMITED (恒健牙科醫務所有限公司); 1st Defendant: SIN CHUNG YIN RONALD (冼仲彥); 2nd Defendant: CHU KAI YU (朱啟裕); 3rd Defendant: CHOW KAR WAH (周家華); 4th Defendant: CHU YAT LEUNG (朱一亮); 5th Defendant: LEE CHI WAI (李志偉); 6th Defendant: TANG WING KIN, FELIX (鄧永健); 7th Defendant: XPERT DENTAL TRAINING INSTITUTE LIMITED (思博牙科培訓有限公司); 8th Defendant: XPERT DENTAL GROUP LIMITED (思博牙科集團有限公司); 9th Defendant: XPERT DENTAL CONSULTANCY LIMITED (思博牙科顧問有限公司); 10th Defendant: XPERT DENTAL SERVICES LIMITED (思博牙科服務有限公司); 11th Defendant: XPERT DENTAL SUPPLIES LIMITED (思博牙科供應有限公司); 12th Defendant: XPERT DENTAL GROUP (CWB) LIMITED (思博牙科集團(銅鑼灣)有限公司); 13th Defendant: XPERT DENTAL GROUP (SKW) LIMITED (思博牙科集團(筲箕灣)有限公司); 14th Defendant: XPERT DENTAL GROUP (tp) LIMITED (思博牙科集團(大埔)有限公司); 15th Defendant: XPERT DENTAL GROUP (np) LIMITED (思博牙科集團(北角)有限公司); 16th Defendant: XPERT DENTAL GROUP (yl) LIMITED (思博牙科集團(元朗)有限公司); 17th Defendant: XPERT DENTAL GROUP (TW) LIMITED (思博牙科集團(荃灣)有限公司); 18th Defendant: XPERT INVISABLE ORTHOCENTRE (TP) LIMITED (思博隱形矯齒中心(大埔)有限公司); 19th Defendant: WONG MAY KUEN (黃美娟)
Court
Court of First Instance
Jurisdiction
Hong Kong
Judgment Date
22 July 2014
Case Number
HCA2176/2012
Procedural Posture
Civil: Breach of Shareholders and Employment Agreements; Conspiracy; Equitable Relief / Interlocutory Applications (strike‑out and Application to Amend Pleadings)
Outcome
Plaintiffs' application to amend allowed; 5th and 6th defendants' strike‑out application dismissed
Legal Topics
Breach of Shareholders' Agreements, Breach of Employment Contracts, Fiduciary Duties, Conspiracy to Injure Business, Restrictive Covenants, Strike Out Applications, Amendment of Pleadings, Discovery
Source Language
en
Commercial Law Employment Law Company Law Civil Procedure Equity Tort Conspiracy Breach of Shareholders' Agreements Breach of Employment Contracts +6 more

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Parties

SINODENTAL INVESTMENTS LIMTED

1st Plaintiff

HEALTH & CARE GROUP LIMITED (恒健醫療集團有限公司)

2nd Plaintiff

HEALTH & CARE DENTAL CLINIC LIMITED (恒健牙科醫務所有限公司)

3rd Plaintiff

SIN CHUNG YIN RONALD (冼仲彥)

1st Defendant

CHU KAI YU (朱啟裕)

2nd Defendant

CHOW KAR WAH (周家華)

3rd Defendant

CHU YAT LEUNG (朱一亮)

4th Defendant

LEE CHI WAI (李志偉)

5th Defendant

TANG WING KIN, FELIX (鄧永健)

6th Defendant

XPERT DENTAL TRAINING INSTITUTE LIMITED (思博牙科培訓有限公司)

7th Defendant

XPERT DENTAL GROUP LIMITED (思博牙科集團有限公司)

8th Defendant

XPERT DENTAL CONSULTANCY LIMITED (思博牙科顧問有限公司)

9th Defendant

XPERT DENTAL SERVICES LIMITED (思博牙科服務有限公司)

10th Defendant

XPERT DENTAL SUPPLIES LIMITED (思博牙科供應有限公司)

11th Defendant

XPERT DENTAL GROUP (CWB) LIMITED (思博牙科集團(銅鑼灣)有限公司)

12th Defendant

XPERT DENTAL GROUP (SKW) LIMITED (思博牙科集團(筲箕灣)有限公司)

13th Defendant

XPERT DENTAL GROUP (tp) LIMITED (思博牙科集團(大埔)有限公司)

14th Defendant

XPERT DENTAL GROUP (np) LIMITED (思博牙科集團(北角)有限公司)

15th Defendant

XPERT DENTAL GROUP (yl) LIMITED (思博牙科集團(元朗)有限公司)

16th Defendant

XPERT DENTAL GROUP (TW) LIMITED (思博牙科集團(荃灣)有限公司)

17th Defendant

XPERT INVISABLE ORTHOCENTRE (TP) LIMITED (思博隱形矯齒中心(大埔)有限公司)

18th Defendant

WONG MAY KUEN (黃美娟)

19th Defendant

Procedural Posture

Civil: Breach of Shareholders and Employment Agreements; Conspiracy; Equitable Relief / Interlocutory Applications (strike‑out and Application to Amend Pleadings)

Legal Issues

  1. 1 Whether paragraphs 16, 17, 18 and 21 of the Statement of Claim should be struck out for insufficiency or ambiguity of pleading
  2. 2 Whether the plaintiffs should be permitted to amend the Statement of Claim
  3. 3 Whether the word 'unconscionable' constitutes a separate cause of action

Ratio Decidendi

The court dismissed the strike‑out application and allowed the amendment because on the pleaded facts the plaintiffs' case was not plainly unsustainable: circumstantial allegations could support inferences of participation and conspiracy and proposed amendments cured inconsistencies; therefore it would be inappropriate at interlocutory stage to strike out those paragraphs rather than leave matters for trial.

Court Disposition

Plaintiffs' application to amend allowed; 5th and 6th defendants' strike‑out application dismissed

Orders

  • Plaintiffs' application for amendment allowed and, by consent, service thereof dispensed with
  • The 5th and the 6th defendants' application for striking out is dismissed