Civil Trials Bench Book Update 51 published

[1-0000] Disqualification for bias

Charisteas v Charisteas [2021] HCA 29 has been added at [1-0020]. The ALRC report, Without fear or favour: judicial impartiality and the law on bias and a paper on judicial legitimacy by the Honourable Justice Gageler AC have been added to Further references.

[2-0000] Case management

At [2-0020] General principles the case of Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Land Council v Minister Administering the Crown Land Management Act 2016 [2022] NSWCA 275 has been added.

[2-2600] Stay of pending proceedings

In Further references an article written by A Monichino QC and G Rossi, “Staying court proceedings in the face of ADR clauses” has been added.

[2-5900] Security for costs

Three cases have been added at [2-5965] Ordering security in appeals: Swift v McLeary [2013] NSWCA 173, Cassaniti v Katavic [2022] NSWCA 230 and Yu Xiao v BCEG International (Australia) Pty Ltd [2022] NSWCA 233.

[2-6300] Judgments and orders

A number of cases have been added at [2-6440] Reasons for judgment, including Pollard v RRR Corporation Pty Ltd [2009] NSWCA 110 (citing Soulemezis v Dudley (Holdings) Pty Ltd (1987) 10 NSWLR 247 and Beale v Government Insurance Office of NSW (1997) 48 NSWLR 430) and Rialto Sports Pty Ltd v Cancer Care Associates Pty Ltd [2022] NSWCA 146.

[2-7600] Vexatious litigants

At [2-7610] Inherent jurisdiction and powers of courts and tribunals the cases of Ghosh v Miller (No 2) [2018] NSWCA 212; Choi v Secretary, Department of Communications and Justice [2022] NSWCA 170; Hassan v Sydney Local Health District (No 5) [2021] NSWCA 197 and Samootin v Shea [2013] NSWCA 312 have been added.

[4-0200] Relevance

At [4-0210] Relevant evidence — s 56, a reference to the Criminal Trial Courts Bench Book at [5-100] has been added. The Further references for the chapter have also been updated.

[4-0300] Hearsay

At [4-0330] Exception: civil proceedings if maker not available — s 63, the case of Clancy v Plaintiffs A, B, C and D; Bird v Plaintiffs A, B, C and D [2022] NSWCA 119 has been added to demonstrate factors that make a plaintiff “not available” within the meaning of s 63 of the Evidence Act, along with the operation and interpretation of Pt 2, cl 4(1)(f). RC v R [2022] NSWCCA 281 has been added for its observations on the requirements of “all reasonable steps” in the definition of “unavailability of persons” in Pt 2, cl 4(1)(g).

At [4-0390] Exception: business records — s 69, the case of Di Liristi v Matautia Developments Pty Ltd [2021] NSWCA 328 has been added as an example of records that were found to be “business records”.

[5-5000] Possession List in the Supreme Court

Minor changes have been made at [5-5000] Introduction, [5-5010] Commencement of proceedings and [5-5020] Defended proceedings. The case Stacks Managed Investments Ltd v Rambaldi and Cull as trustees of the Bankrupt Estate of Reinhardt [2020] NSWSC 722 has been added at [5-5040] Stay applications.

A new section has been added at [5-5035] Writs of restitution in which the cases of Perpetual Ltd v Kelso [2008] NSWSC 906; Wiltshire County Council v Frazer [1986] 1 All ER 65; Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd v Rafferty [2018] NSWSC 960; Commonwealth Bank of Australia v Maksacheff [2015] NSWSC 1860; Capital Access Pty Ltd v Charnwood Constructions Pty Ltd [2022] NSWSC 1185; Inglis v Commonwealth Trading Bank of Australia (1972) 126 CLR 161 and GE Personal Finance Pty Ltd v Smith [2006] NSWSC 889 have been added.

[5-7000] Intentional torts

At [5-7115] Justification (note that this section has been moved up from [5-7170]) the case of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd v Rawlings (2022) 107 NSWLR 51 has been added along with Hook v Cunard Steamship Co [1953] 1 WLR 682.

The case of Spedding v NSW [2022] NSWSC 1627 has been added at [5-7150] Some examples, [5-7160] Malice and [5-7188] Misfeasance in public office. This case involved a successful claim by the plaintiff who was arrested on discredited historical allegations of sexual abuse.

At [5-7188] Misfeasance in public office the cases of Cornwall v Rowan (2004) 90 SASR 269 and De Reus v Gray (2003) 9 VR 432 have also been added.

[6-1000] The legal framework for the compensation of personal injury in NSW

The workers compensation amounts in this chapter have been reviewed and updated.

At [6-1040] Claims subject to the Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999, Stein v Ryden [2022] NSWCA 212 has been added for its summary of the relevant authorities on what constitutes a “full and satisfactory explanation” under s 109 of the Act.

Amendments have been made at [6-1045] Claims subject to the Motor Accident Injuries Act 2017 to reflect changes brought by the Motor Accident Injuries Amendment Act 2022 commencing 28 November 2022.

[8-0000] Costs

At [8-0020] The general rule: costs follow the event the cases of Calvo v Ellimark Pty Ltd (No 2) [2006] NSWCA 197 and Kumaran v Employsure Pty Ltd (No 2) [2022] NSWCA 247 have been added as examples of cost orders being moulded to reflect the degree of success on distinct issues.

At [8-0040] Departing from the general rule: apportionment the case of DSHE Holdings Ltd (Receivers and Managers) (in liq) v Potts (No 2) [2022] NSWCA 258 has been added under the headings “Mixed success on multiple issues” and “Giving effect to apportionment”.

At [8-0120] Legal practitioners the cases of Muriniti v Mercia Financial Solutions Pty Ltd [2021] NSWCA 180 and Muriniti v Kalil [2022] NSWCA 109 (referring to Lemoto v Able Technical Pty Ltd (2005) 63 NSWLR 300, Redowood Pty Ltd v Goldstein Technology Pty Ltd [2004] NSWSC 515 and Saadat v Commonwealth of Australia (No 2) [2019] SASC 75) have been added. These cases concern the making of a personal “wasted costs order” against a legal practitioner under s 99 of the CPA.

[9-0700] Enforcement of foreign judgments

The case of Nyunt v First Property Holdings Pte Ltd [2022] NSWCA 249 has been added at [9-0750] Procedure to expand upon the operation of ss 7(2) and (3) of the Foreign Judgments Act. Dow Jones & Co Inc v Gutnick (2002) 210 CLR 575 has also been added.

[10-0300] Contempt generally

At [10-0480] Breach of orders and undertakings the case of Bellerive Homes Pty Ltd v FW Projects Pty Ltd (2019) 106 NSWLR 479 has been added.