Du Pont Nemours & Company v Commissioner of Patents & Ors [1987] FCA 26

CATCHWORDS

Patent - Petition for extension of patent - whether discovery should be ordered.

Discovery - Application to set aside order for discovery - consent order - Part 81 Supreme Court Rules (N.S.W.) within power - Petitioner's obligation to produce documents.

Practice - Supreme Court Rules (N.S.W.) applicable to petition to

extend patent - consent order — ability of court to alter interlocutory order made by consent - ability of appellate court to

interfere with discretionary order on matter of practice and procedure.

Patents Act 1952 Part IX ss.90, 92, 93, 94. Supreme Court Rules Part 81, rr.19, 20, 23, 28. Part 26, rr. l, 2. Hele-Shaw's Patents (1938) 55 RPC 120 Purcell v. F.C. Trigell Ltd. (1971) 1 Q.B. 358. Chanel Ltd. v. F.W. Woolworth and Co. Ltd. (1981) 1 WLR 485. In Re Duckham's Patent (1951) 82 C.L.R. 603. In Re Coldham; Ex parte Australian Building Construction Employees' and Builders Labourers' Federation (1986) 60 A.L.J.R.245 Wilkshire and Coffey v. Commonwealth of Australia (1976) 9 A.L.R. 325. Harvey v. Phillips (1956) 95 C.L.R. 235. Adam P. Brown Male Fashions Proprietary Limited v. Philip Morris Incorporated (1981) 148 C.L.R. 170. Siebe Gorman & Co. Ltd. v. Pneupac Ltd. (1982) 1 W.L.R. 185 Wentworth v Attorney General for the State of New South Wales (1984) 154 C.L.R. 518 Thwaite v. Thwaite (1982) Fam. 1 Superstar Australia Pty. Ltd. v. Coonan & Denlay Pty. Ltd. (1981) 40 A.L.R. 183. House v. The King (1936) 55 C.L.R. 499.

Minister for Aboriginal Affairs v. Peko-Wallsend Ltd. (1986) 66 A.L.R. 299.

Norbis v. Norbis (1986) 60 A.L.J.R. 335. In Re Pitman's Patent (1871) 4 L.R.P.C. 84. In Re Robinson's Patent (1918) 25 C.L.R. 116.

E.I. DU PONT DE NEMOURS & COMPANY v. THE COMMISSIONER OF PATENTS & ORS.

No. G590 of 1986

Sheppard, Beaumont and Burchett JJ. Sydney 9 February 1987