All posts by Legal Helpdesk Lawyers

Solicitor of the Supreme Court of NSW, Federal Court and High Court of Australia. Public Notary in the State of New South Wales.
Appeals, Evidence, LAW FIRM

Appeal – rehearing

Fox v Percy [2003] HCA 22; 214 CLR 118; 197 ALR 201; 77 ALJR 989 (30 April 2003).

“Appeal – Rehearing – Review of findings of fact based on trial judge’s assessment of credibility of witnesses – Whether findings inconsistent with incontrovertibly established facts – Power of appellate court to set aside findings.

Appeal – Issue not raised at trial – Where argued that expert report based on matters not proved or supported by the evidence – Whether re-examination of facts by appellate court appropriate.

Appeal – Rehearing – Substitution of judgment of appellate court for that of trial judge – Whether re-trial an appropriate remedy.”

The court affirmed the principles, developed over many previous cases, to be applied by appellant courts when considering whether or not to overturn the findings of credit made by a trial judge.

An appellate court must be satisfied that the findings are “glaringly improbable” or “contrary to compelling inferences”; or that the judge has “failed to use” or “palpably misused” his or her advantage or acted on facts which were inconsistent with the evidence or were glaringly improbable..”

http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/cases/cth/HCA/2003/22.html

Lawyers

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Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, LAW FIRM

Stay of proceedings – Inherent jurisdiction – Abuse of process – Medical practitioners – Complaints

Walton v Gardiner [1993] HCA 77; (1993) 177 CLR 378; (1993) 112 ALR 289; (1993) 67 ALJR 485 (29 April 1993).

Stay of proceedings – Inherent jurisdiction – Abuse of process – Medical practitioners – Complaints

http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/cases/cth/HCA/1993/77.html

The NSW Court of Appeal had granted a stay of proceedings concerning new complaints made against three medical practitioners regarding their treatment of patients at the Chelmsford Private Hospital in Sydney on the grounds that the new complaints raised issues overlapping with earlier complaints such that they were so unfairly and unjustly oppressive that they constituted an abuse of process.

The High Court affirmed the Court of Appeal’s decision, holding that the court has the inherent power or jurisdiction to stay proceedings as an abuse of process if the continuation of the proceedings would involve unacceptable injustice or unfairness.  The court also held that the grounds upon which such a stay is granted is not limited to matters where the proceedings are brought for an improper purpose or where there is no possibility of a fair hearing.

Lawyers

Sydney, Australia

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LAW FIRM, Legislation, Media Law

Statutes – Construction – Media law – Trade law

Project Blue Sky v ABA [1998] HCA 28; 194 CLR 355; 153 ALR 490; 72 ALJR 841 (28 April 1998).

“Statutes – Construction – Reconciliation of conflicting provisions – Intention of legislature – Presumption that provisions intended to achieve consistent goals – Leading and subordinate provisions – Grammatical meaning and legal meaning.

Statutes – Construction – Acts done in breach of a condition regulating a statutory power – Whether invalid – Mandatory and directory provisions – Purpose-based test.

Media law – Television – Regulation of programming – Australian Broadcasting Authority – Standard prescribing Australian content requirements – Whether inconsistent with legislative requirement that functions be performed consistently with Australia’s international obligations.

Media law – Television – Regulation of programming – Australian Broadcasting Authority – Power to make standards that “relate to … the Australian content of programs” – Whether restricted to standards conferring preferential treatment.

Trade law – Australia New Zealand Closer Economic Relations Trade Agreement.”

http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/cases/cth/HCA/1998/28.html

Statutory construction is to start with an examination of the provision to be construed. When determining the validity of an act done in breach of a statutory provision, the test is “to ask whether it was a purpose of the legislation that an act done in breach of the provision should be invalid”, rather than to “use the elusive distinction between mandatory and directive requirements”.  The purpose is determined by consideration of “the language of the relevant provision and the scope and object of the whole statute.”

Lawyers 1300 00 2088

Duty of Care, Insurance Law, LAW FIRM, Legislation, Negligence, Personal Injury

March v Stramare (E & M H) Pty Ltd [1991] HCA 12

ON THIS DAY in 1991, the High Court of Australia delivered March v Stramare (E & MH) Pty Ltd [1991] HCA 12; (1991) 171 CLR 506; (1991) 9 BCL 215 (24 April 1991).

Negligence – Causation – Duty of care – Injury reasonably foreseeable – Successive negligent acts by different persons – Whether first negligent actor exonerated by intervening negligent act – Apportionment of liability – Wrongs Act 1936 (S.A.), s. 27a(3).

The “but for” test was considered to be not a definitive test of causation in negligence.  Causation is a question of fact to be determined with reference to common sense and experience.

http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/cases/cth/HCA/1991/12.html

The “but for” test has since been revived by the operation of the Civil Liability Acts: see for instance Adeels Palace Pty Ltd v Moubarak; Adeels Palace Pty Ltd v Bou Najem [2009] HCA 48 (10 November 2009).

.

Lawyers

Sydney, Australia

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Environmental Law, Local Government, Planning Law, Sydney Law Firms, Sydney Solicitors

Jones v Mosman Council [2015] NSWLEC 1121

ON 24 APRIL 2015, the NSW Land and Environment Court delivered Jones v Mosman Council [2015] NSWLEC 1121 (24 April 2015).

Development Application: conciliation conference; agreement between the parties; orders.

http://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/sinodisp/au/cases/nsw/NSWLEC/2015/1121.html

The Court made orders to give effect to an agreement between the applicant (Melanie Jones and Saeed Moazzam) and the respondent (Mosman Council) that was reached at conciliation on 24 April 2015.

The terms of the agreement are as follows:

1. The applicant is granted leave to amend Development Application No. 8.2014.39.1 in accordance with the plans referred to in Condition 1 of Annexure “A” hereto.
2. The applicant shall pay the respondent’s costs pursuant to section 97B of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 agreed in the sum of $7,000.00, such costs to be paid within 28 days of orders being made in accordance with this agreement.
3. The appeal is upheld.
4. Development Application No. 8.2014.39.1 relating to the land at 173 Spit Road,
Mosman, for demolition of existing dwelling and construction of 4 units, is approved, subject to the conditions set out in annexure “A” to this agreement.

The link to annexure “A” is http://www.caselaw.nsw.gov.au/asset/553ed1a8e4b0fc828c9966f1.pdf

Lawyers

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Damages, Duty of Care, Landmark cases, LAW FIRM, Personal Injury, Work injuries, Workers Compensation

Sharp v Stephen Guinery t/as Port Kembla Hotel and Port Kembla Rsl Club [2001] NSWSC 336 | 23 April 2001

ON THIS DAY in 2001, Justice Peter McClellan of the Supreme Court of NSW delivered Sharp v Stephen Guinery t/as Port Kembla Hotel and Port Kembla Rsl Club [2001] NSWSC 336 (23 April 2001).

“Judgment on application for verdict by direction

negligence action

whether plaintiff precluded from putting a case in negligence to jury

whether evidence of breach of duty

whether evidence which could establish that the taking of any step would have eliminated risk of plaintiff’s injury

whether evidence before the jury that the risk of injury from tobacco smoke was reasonably foreseeable

whether rule in Browne v Dunn has application

s 23(4), s 42(1) Factories, Shops & Industries Act 1962”

Sharp had sought damages from her employer alleging that her exposure to tobacco smoke as a barmaid resulted in her suffering from laryngeal cancer.  The case was heard before a jury.

The judgment led to jury directions which resulted in a finding that the cancer was caused, or materially contributed to, by the employer’s negligence.

On 2 May 2001, the jury awarded Sharp damages of $466,000 plus costs.

http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/cases/nsw/NSWSC/2001/336.html

Lawyers

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Duty of Care, Negligence, Personal Injury, Sydney Law Firms, Torts

Stuart v Kirkland-Veenstra [2009] HCA 15 | 22 April 2009

Stuart v Kirkland-Veenstra [2009] HCA 15 (22 April 2009).

http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/cases/cth/HCA/2009/15.html

“TORTS – Negligence – Duty of care – Where Mental Health Act 1986 (Vic), s 10 empowered police to apprehend person who “appears to be mentally ill” if reasonable grounds for believing that person had recently attempted suicide or likely to do so – Where police came upon man who appeared to have been contemplating suicide but showed no sign of mental illness – Interaction of common law and relationship established by s 10 – Whether duty of care to prevent foreseeable harm to man at own hand – Relevance of conditions engaging exercise of statutory power – Relevance of fact that duty alleged is duty to protect person from self-harm – Relevance of general rule against duty to rescue – Relevance of vulnerability of particular class of persons – Relevance of control over source of risk to persons.

TORTS – Negligence – Duty of care – Where duty alleged to arise in context of power conferred by Mental Health Act 1986, s 10 – Whether preconditions to existence of power established on facts – Whether common law duty could exist in absence of relevant power.

TORTS – Breach of statutory duty – Relevance as alternative to action alleging breach of common law duty of care – Principles relevant to determining legislative intention that cause of action be available – Relevance of legislative provision for special measures to protect identifiable class of persons or property – Whether existence of discretion to exercise power inconsistent with existence of statutory duty.

STATUTES – Interpretation – Whether person who has attempted suicide to be equated with person “mentally ill” – Relationship between attempted suicide and mental illness – Understanding at common law of relationship between suicide and mental illness.

WORDS AND PRRASES – “mentally ill”.

Crimes Act 1958 (Vic), ss 457, 463B.
Mental Health Act 1986 (Vic), ss 3, 8, 10.
Wrongs Act 1958 (Vic), Pt III.”

The court decided that two police officers did not owe a duty of care to a man who took his life; nor to his surviving spouse. Earlier in the day of the deceased’s death the officers had observed an apparent suicide attempt by the deceased but were satisfied that he sounded rational and was responsive to their questions.

The law does not create an obligation to rescue another from harm and in this case there were no special features outside of the general rule.

As the police officers had not formed the view that the deceased was mentally ill, they had no power to apprehend him and have him assessed under the Mental Health Act.

Lawyers

Sydney, Australia

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Compensation to relatives

Dey v Victorian Railways Commissioners [1949] HCA 1

Dey v Victorian Railways Commissioners [1949] HCA 1; (1949) 78 CLR 62 (22 February 1949).

“Workers’ Compensation – Injury by accident arising out of or in course of employment – Death of worker – Negligence of employer – Option of dependants to apply for compensation or take other proceedings – Award of compensation obtained by widow on behalf of herself and children – Effect of award as barring claim by dependants under Lord Campbell’s Act – Workers’ Compensation Acts 1928- 1946 (No. 3806 – No. 5128) (Vict.)* – Wrongs Act 1928 (No. 3807) (Vict.), Part III. – The 1946 Workers’ Compensation Rules, rr. 8, 81.*
Practice – Supreme Court (Vict.) – Dismissal of action – Abuse of process – Inherent jurisdiction – Rules of the Supreme Court (Vict.), Order XXV., rr. 2, 4.”

http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/cases/cth/HCA/1949/1.html

A widow who had received a workers compensation award for her late husband’s death was not entitled to maintain a compensation to relatives action in her own right but the infant children were competent to sue by their next friend.

Per Dixon J at 91:

“The application [to dismiss proceedings on the grounds of being frivolous, vexatious and abuse of process] is really made to the inherent jurisdiction of the court to stop the abuse of its process when it is employed for groundless claims. The principles upon which that jurisdiction is exercisable are well settled. A case must be very clear indeed to justify the summary intervention of the court to prevent a plaintiff submitting his case for determination in the appointed manner by the court with or without a jury. The fact that a transaction is intricate may not disentitle the court to examine a cause of action alleged to grow out of it for the purpose of seeing whether the proceeding amounts to an abuse of process or is vexatious. But once it appears that there is a real question to be determined whether of fact or law and that the rights of the parties depend upon it, then it is not competent for the court to dismiss the action as frivolous and vexatious and an abuse of process.”

Lawyers

Sydney, Australia

1300 00 2088

Damages, Duty of Care, Insurance Law, LAW FIRM, Medical negligence, Negligence, Personal Injury, Professional negligence

Tabet v Gett [2010] HCA 12 | 21 April 2010

ON 21 APRIL 2010, the High Court of Australia delivered Tabet v Gett [2010] HCA 12 (21 April 2010).

“NEGLIGENCE – Medical negligence – Damage – Loss of chance – Appellant suffered irreversible brain damage – Respondent’s delay in providing proper treatment breached duty of care owed to appellant – Where not established on balance of probabilities that breach caused any part of brain damage – Where breach at most caused loss of less than 50% chance of better outcome – Whether law of tort recognises or should recognise loss of chance of better outcome as damage giving rise to liability in negligence – Relevance of policy considerations concerning extension of liability in medical negligence cases.

NEGLIGENCE – Medical negligence – Damage – Loss of chance – Trial judge assessed as 40% the lost chance of better outcome – Court of Appeal found evidence supported no more than 15% chance of better outcome – Whether evidence sufficient to establish loss of chance of better outcome – Whether inference could properly be drawn from evidence as to loss of chance.

WORDS AND PHRASES – “balance of probabilities”, “damage”, “gist of the action”, “loss of a chance of a better outcome”, “standard of proof”.”

http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/cases/cth/HCA/2010/12.html

The law of negligence does not allow for damages to be awarded when the breach of duty of care causes less than a 50% chance of a better outcome.

http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/cases/cth/HCA/2010/12.html

Lawyers

Sydney, Australia

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Damages, LAW FIRM, Negligence, Personal Injury

Nagle v Rottnest Island Authority [1993] HCA 76 | 21 April 1993

ON 21 APRIL 1993, the High Court of Australia delivered Nagle v Rottnest Island Authority [1993] HCA 76; 177 CLR 423; (1993) Aust Torts Reporter 81-211; (1993) 112 ALR 393; (1993) 67 ALJR 426 (21 April 1993).

http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/cases/cth/HCA/1993/76.html

Nagle became a quadriplegic after diving into a swimming hole and striking his head on a submerged rock.  It was known to Rottnest that visitors engaged in this activity.

Rottnest was liable to pay Nagle damages as it had breached its duty of care to Nagle to warn him of the risk of submerged rocks.

The risk was foreseeable: “Whether small or not, the risk was certainly not far-fetched or fanciful.”

The accident was cased by a failure on the part of Rottnest to erect a sign.

The Civil Liability Acts have since altered the obligations and responsibilities of public authorities and occupiers in such situations.

Lawyers

Sydney, Australia

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