Civil Trials Bench Book Update 52 published

[2-0000] Case management

Cheng v Motor Yacht Sales Australia Pty Ltd t/as the Boutique Boat Company (2022) 108 NSWLR 342 has been added at [2-0010] Overview and [2-0020] General principles to demonstrate application of s 60 of the Civil Procedure Act 2005. The case Be Financial Pty Ltd as trustee for Be Financial Operations Trust v Das [2012] NSWCA 164 has also been added at [2-0020].

[2-2600] Stay of pending proceedings

At [2-2600] The power the case Moubarak by his tutor Coorey v Holt (2019) 100 NSWLR 218 has been added for its summary of the principles governing permanent stays of proceedings. Stokes v Toyne [2023] NSWCA 59, which affirmed Moubarak, has also been added.

Pinpoint citations have been added for Oceanic Sun Line Special Shopping Co Inc v Fay (1988) 165 CLR 197; Voth v Manildra Flour Mills Pty Ltd (1990) 171 CLR 538; and Garsec v His Majesty The Sultan of Brunei [2008] NSWCA 211 at [2-2620] The test for forum non conveniens.

At [2-2680] Abuse of process the case CBRE (V) Pty Ltd v Trilogy Funds Management Ltd (2021) 107 NSWLR 202 has been added to highlight that a permanent stay of proceedings on the grounds of abuse of process should only be ordered in exceptional circumstances.

[2-3900] Limitations

The references at [2-3900] Introduction have been updated to reflect the newest edition of The Laws of Australia, as has the table at [2-3970] Table of limitation provisions in NSW.

At [2-3900] the case In the matter of Auzhair Supplies Pty Ltd (in Liq) [2013] NSWSC 1 has been replaced with the Court of Appeal judgment: Gerace v Aushair Supplies Pty Ltd [2014] NSWCA 181.

[2-4100] Freezing orders

The case Bennett v NSW [2022] NSWSC 1406 has been added at [2-4130] Danger that a judgment may go unsatisfied as an example. At [2-4200] Duration of the order the case Resort Hotels Management Pty Ltd v Resort Hotels of Australia Pty Ltd (1991) 22 NSWLR 730 has been added.

[2-4600] Persons under legal incapacity

The case Perera v Alpha Westmead Private Hospital (t/as Westmead Private Hospital) [2022] NSWSC 571 has been added for its summary of authorities at [2-4600] Definition, and at [2-4700] Compromise for its analysis on incapacity under s 76 of the Civil Procedure Act 2005. The case Mao v AMP Superannuation Ltd [2017] NSWSC 987 has also been added at [2-4700].

[2-5900] Security for costs

Decisions have been added to discussion of the principles for security for costs including Ward v Westpac Banking Corporation Ltd [2023] NSWCA 11; Treloar Constructions Pty Ltd v McMillan [2016] NSWCA 302; Levy v Bablis [2012] NSWCA 128; Republic of Kazakhstan v Istil Group Inc [2005] EWCA Civ 1468; Misthold Pty Ltd v NSW Historic Sites and Railway Heritage Company Pty Ltd [2022] NSWSC 42; T & H Pty Ltd v Nguyen [2022] NSWCA 180; SSPeetham Pty Ltd as trustee for the CHB CDI Trust v Marcos Accountants Pty Ltd [2020] NSWSC 378; Michael Wilson & Partners Ltd v Emmott (No 2) [2022] NSWCA 48; Euromark Ltd v Smash Enterprises Pty Ltd (No 2) [2021] VSC 393; and Boz One Pty Ltd v McLellan [2015] VSCA 145.

Also added is a “traps for young players” section (see [2-5930] General principles relevant to the exercise of the discretion) on one of the most common security for costs legal issues, namely a small company that does not have recent tax or accounting records and there is a challenge to the admissibility of the records on this basis. Included are the decisions most commonly referred to: Strategic Financial and Project Services Pty Ltd v Bank of China Ltd [2009] FCA 604 and A40 Construction and Maintenance Group Pty Ltd v Smith (No 2) [2022] VSC 72.

[4-1100] Tendency and coincidence

At [4-1140] The tendency rule – s 97 reference to s 55(1) of the Mental Health (Criminal Procedure) Act 1990 (now repealed) has been updated to s 94(1) of the Mental Health and Cognitive Impairment Forensic Provisions Act 2020.

[5-1000] The Special Statutory Compensation List

Changes have been made to a few sections, most notably at [5-1030] Police Regulation (Superannuation) Act 1906 in which the discussion of provisions of the Act has been updated and the cases Day v SAS Trustee Corp [2021] NSWCA 71; Day v SAS Trustee Corp [2020] NSWDC 381; and Pascoe v SAS Trustee Corp [2022] NSWCA 244 have been added.

The case Death v Workers Compensation (Dust Diseases) Authority (No 1) [2020] NSWDC 103 has been added to [5-1070] Workers’ Compensation (Dust Diseases) Act 1942.

[5-4000] Proceedings for defamation in NSW

A number of updates and recent cases have been provided throughout the chapter, at [5-4005] The legislative framework; [5-4006] Defamation Amendment Act 2020; [5-4010] The pleadings; [5-4020] Applications to amend or to strike out pleadings and other pre-trial issues; [5-4030] Applications to amend or to strike out imputations; [5-4040] Other interlocutory applications; [5-4060] Conduct of the trial (judge sitting alone); [5-4070] Additional matters for conduct of the trial before a jury; [5-4090] Damages; and [5-4095] Aggravated compensatory damages.

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

Repealed s 67 of the Workers Compensation Act 1987 has been deleted from [6-1010] General workers and s 128 of the Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999 has been renumbered to s  141B at [6-1040] Claims subject to the Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999.

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 1 April 2023.

[7-0000] Damages

A new section has been added at [7-0125] Illegality as a limiting principle. State Rail Authority of NSW v Wiegold (1991) 25 NSWLR 500 has been added which held that a defendant should not be held responsible for the losses a plaintiff sustains that result from a rational and voluntary decision to engage in criminal activity. The following cases are also referred to: March v Stramare Pty Ltd (1991) 171 CLR 506; Anderson v Hotel Capital Trading Pty Ltd [2005] NSWCA 78; Holt v Manufacturers’ Mutual Insurance Ltd [2001] QSC 230; Bailey v Nominal Defendant [2004] QCA 344; Hunter Area Health Service v Presland (2005) 63 NSWLR 22; Tomasevic v State of Victoria [2020] VSC 415; Grey v Simpson (Court of Appeal, 3 April 1987, unrep); and Trajkovski v Ken’s Painting & Decorating Services Pty Ltd [2002] NSWSC 568.

[8-0000] Costs

The case Constantinidis v Prentice (No 2) [2023] NSWSC 160 has been added at [8-0160] Quantification of costs in relation to gross sum costs orders.

[10-0300] Contempt generally

The cases Mahaffy v Mahaffy (2018) 97 NSWLR 119 and Commonwealth Bank of Australia v Salvato (No 4) [2013] NSWSC 321 have been added at [10-0480] Breach of orders and undertakings.