Krejci in his capacity as liquidator of ENA Development Pty Ltd (in liq) v Sebie [2023] FCA 884

Federal Court of Australia

Krejci in his capacity as liquidator of ENA Development Pty Ltd (in liq) v Sebie [2023] FCA 884 File number(s): NSD 459 of 2023

Judgment of: JACKMAN J

Date of judgment: 2 August 2023

Catchwords: PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – application for vexatious proceedings orders under s 37AO of the Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth) – whether issue estoppel arises from Re ENA Development (in liq) [2023] NSWSC 503 – that decision was a final decision – alternatively, whether it would be an abuse of process to contest that decision – whether discretion should be exercised in favour of vexatious proceedings orders

Legislation: Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth) ss 4, 37AM, 37AO, 37AR Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW) ss 84, 101(2) Vexatious Proceedings Act 2008 (NSW) ss 4, 6, 8, 9 Vexatious Proceedings Amendment (Statutory Review) Act 2018 (NSW)

Cases cited: Ainslie v Ainslie (1927) 39 CLR 381 Batterham v Nauer [2020] NSWCA 204 Benton v QBE Workers Compensation (NSW) Ltd [2015] NSWCA 101 Fuller v Toms [2015] FCAFC 91; (2015) 234 FCR 535 Jemmott v ENA Development Pty Ltd (in liq) (Receiver Appointed) [2022] FCA 1134 Kay v Attorney-General [2000] VSCA 176; [2000] 2 VR 436 Klewer v Attorney-General (NSW) [2010] NSWCA 219 Kuligowski v Metrobus [2004] HCA 34; (2004) 220 CLR 363 Liao v New South Wales [2014] NSWCA 71 Mahmoud v Attorney-General (NSW) [2017] NSWCA 12 Munayallan v Scott (No 5) [2021] FedCFamC1F 284 Official Trustee in Bankruptcy v Gargan (No 2) [2009] FCA 398 One T Development Pty Ltd v Krejci [2023] NSWCA 120 Pedler v Hunters Hill Municipal Council [1976] 2 NSWLR 411 Potier v Attorney-General (NSW) [2015] NSWCA 129; (2015) 89 NSWLR 284 Re ENA Development (in liq) [2023] NSWSC 503 Reichel v Magrath (1889) 14 App Cas 665 Rippon v Chilcotin Pty Ltd [2001] NSWCA 142; (2001) 53 NSWLR 198 Rogers v The Queen (1994) 181 CLR 251 Sebie v Bresic Whitney Balmain Pty Ltd [2022] NSWSC 816 Sebie v ENA Development Pty Ltd (in liq) (Receiver Appointed) [2023] FCA 2 Sebie v ENA Development Pty Ltd (in liq) (Receiver Appointed) (No 2) [2023] FCA 141 Somodaj v Australian Iron and Steel Limited (1963) 109 CLR 285 Teoh v Hunters Hill Council (No 8) [2014] NSWCA 125 Tomlinson v Ramsey Food Processing Pty Ltd [2015] HCA 28; (2015) 256 CLR 507 Viavattene v Attorney-General (NSW) [2014] NSWCA 218 Viavattene v Attorney-General (NSW) [2015] NSWCA 44 Walton v Gardiner (1993) 177 CLR 379 Zepinic v Chateau Constructions (Australia) Limited [2018] NSWCA 317