Sharman Networks Ltd v Universal Music Australia Pty Limited [2006] FCAFC 178

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Sharman Networks Ltd v Universal Music Australia Pty Limited [2006] FCAFC 178 PRACTICE & PROCEDURE – Order 52 r 14AA – application for leave to be heard as amici curiae – consideration of distinction between an amicus curiae and an intervenor – difference between non-lawyer entities seeking to become involved in litigation and legal practitioners invited by the Court to assist it – matters taken into account in determining the terms and conditions of leave to intervene – Held: leave granted pursuant to O 52 r 14AA to intervene in appeals on certain conditions and with certain rights and liabilities Federal Court Amendment Rules 2002 (No 2) (SR 222 of 2002) Federal Court Rules, O 6 r 17 and O 52 r 14AA

United States Tobacco Company v Minister for Consumer Affairs (1988) 20 FCR 520 cited SHARMAN NETWORKS LTD & ORS v UNIVERSAL MUSIC AUSTRALIA PTY LIMITED & ORS NSD 1665 of 2005 BRANSON, LINDGREN AND FINKELSTEIN JJ 7 DECEMBER 2006 SYDNEY IN THE FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

NEW SOUTH WALES DISTRICT REGISTRY NSD 1665 of 2005

BETWEEN: SHARMAN NETWORKS LTD

First Appellant

LEF INTERACTIVE PTY LTD (ACN 099 675 242)

Second Appellant

NICOLA ANNE HEMMING

Third Appellant

AND: universal music australia pty Limited (ACN 000 158 592) First Respondent FESTIVAL RECORDS PTY LIMITED (acn 000 111 197) and MUSHROOM RECORDS pty Limited (acn 005 594 043) trading as festival mushroom records Second Respondent emi music AUSTRALIA PTY LIMITED (ACN 000 070 235) Third Respondent sony music entertainment (australia) limited (aCn 000 033 581) Fourth Respondent WarnerMusic Australia PTY LImited (AcN 000 815 565) Fifth Respondent bmg australia limited (aCn 004 157 564) Sixth Respondent UMG Recordings, Inc. Seventh Respondent Shady Records, Inc./Interscope Records Eighth Respondent Aftermath Records Ninth Respondent Real Horrorshow Pty Limited (ACN 102 610 739) Tenth Respondent The Living End Pty Limited (ABN 500 777 126 48) Eleventh Respondent Virgin Records America, Inc. Twelfth Respondent EMI Records Limited Thirteenth Respondent Capitol Records, Inc. Fourteenth Respondent Arista Records, LLC (formerly known as Arista Records, Inc.) Fifteenth Respondent Circa Records Limited Sixteenth Respondent Chrysalis Records Limited Seventeenth Respondent Sony Music (Australia) Pty Limited (ACN 107 133 184) Eighteenth Respondent Sony Music Entertainment (Canada), Inc. Nineteenth Respondent Sony BMG Music Entertainment Twentieth Respondent Mayer Music LLC Twenty-First Respondent Timothy James Freedman Twenty-Second Respondent Warner Bros. Records Inc. Twenty-Third Respondent Atlantic Recording Corporation Twenty-Fourth Respondent Warner Music UK Limited Twenty-Fifth Respondent J. Ruby Productions, Inc. dba Slash Records Twenty-Sixth Respondent Zomba Recording LLC (formerly known as Zomba Recording Corporation) Twenty-Seventh Respondent BMG Music (BMG Music dba The RCA Records Label, a unit of BMG Entertainment) Twenty-Eighth Respondent BMG UK and Ireland Limited Twenty-Ninth Respondent LaFace Records Thirtieth Respondent