Sanders v Snell [2003] FCAFC 150

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA Sanders v Snell [2003] FCAFC 150 DISQUALIFICATION OF JUDGE FOR INTEREST OR BIAS – conduct of retrial – whether judge on first trial disqualified from hearing retrial TORTS – misfeasance in public office – targeted malice – requirement of specific intent to cause harm – requirement of abuse of power – knowingly acting in excess of statutory power – whether finding of knowledge open on evidence Norfolk Island Act 1979 ss 4, 5, 11, 12, 13, 52, 53, 59 Norfolk Island Government Tourist Bureau Act 1980 ss 3, 4, 5, 8, 10, 11, 12, 15, 17 Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 ss 24, 28 Judiciary Act 1903 ss 36, 37

Snell v Sanders SCNIs SC3/93, Judgment of 19 April 1996 considered Northern Territory v Mengel (1995) 185 CLR 307 followed Farrington v Thomson [1959] VR 286 considered Sanders v Snell (1997) 73 FCR 569 considered Sanders v Snell (1998) 196 CLR 329 considered Sanders v Snell [2000] NFSC 5 considered Three Rivers District Council v Governor and Company of the Bank of England [2000] 3 All ER 1 followed Soulemezis v Dudley (Holdings) Pty Ltd (1987) 10 NSWLR 247 considered Dunlop v Woollahra Municipal Council [1982] AC 158 cited Bourgoin SA v Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food [1986] 1 QB 716 considered Jones v Swansea City Council [1990] 1 WLR 54 cited Beaudesert Shire Council v Smith (1966) 120 CLR 145 considered L (a child) v Reading Borough Council (2001) 1 WLR 1575 considered Martin v Tasmania Development and Resources (1999) 163 ALR 79 considered McKellar v Container Terminal Management Services Ltd (1999) 165 ALR 409 considered Rowan v Cornwall (No 5) (2002) 82 SASR 152 considered Aronson and Whitmore, Public Torts and Contracts, Law Book Company Sydney, 1982 Clerk & Lindsell on Torts, 17th edn, Sweet & Maxwell London, 1995 Salmond & Heuston on the Law of Torts, 21st edn, Sweet & Maxwell London, 1996 WILLIAM WINTON SANDERS v LISLE DENNIS SNELL N 1346/00 BLACK CJ, FRENCH and von DOUSSA JJ BROOME (HEARD IN SYDNEY) 2 JULY 2003