Matthews v Pigram [2020] NSWDC 526

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Matthews v Pigram [2020] NSWDC 526 Hearing dates: 13 August 2020 Date of orders: 10 September 2020 Decision date: 10 September 2020 Jurisdiction: Civil Before: Gibson DCJ Decision: (1) Judgment for the plaintiff for $20,600. (2) Pursuant to s 40 of the Defamation Act 2005 (NSW), the defendant is to pay the plaintiff's costs of the proceedings on an indemnity basis. (3) Pursuant to s 98(4)(c) of the Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), the plaintiff's costs are to be paid in the form of a gross sum costs order. (4) The plaintiff is to have liberty to bring in Short Minutes of Order reflecting the sum to be awarded after the deductions referred to in the judgment are calculated. Catchwords: TORT – defamation – assessment of damages Legislation Cited: Uniform Civil Procedure Rules r 29.7 Defamation Act 2005 (NSW) ss 34 35 and 40 Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW) s 98(4)(c) Cases Cited: Aldridge v Johnston [2020] SASCFC 31 Alesco Corporation Limited ACN 008 666 064 v Te Maari [2015] NSWSC 469 Altarama Ltd v Forsyth & Ors [1981] 1 NSWLR 188 Amalgamated Television Services Pty Ltd v Marsden [2002] NSWCA 419 Balzola v Passas [2020] NSWSC 896 Bauer Media Pty Ltd v Wilson (No 2) (2018) 56 VR 674; [2018] VSCA 154 Bobb v Wombat Securities Pty Ltd & Ors (No 2) [2013] NSWSC 863 Brose v Baluskas & Ors [2020] QDC 15 Carson v John Fairfax & Sons Ltd [1993] HCA 31 Cerutti & Anor v Crestside Pty Ltd & Anor [2014] QCA 33; [2016] 1 Qd R 89 Clark v Ainsworth (1996) 40 NSWLR 463 Cosco v Hutley (No.2) [2020] NSWSC 893 Crampton v Nugawela [1996] NSWSC 128; (1996) 41 NSWLR 176 Darwin v Norman [2020] NSWSC 357 Gagner Pty Ltd trading as Indochine Cafe v Canturi Corporation Pty Ltd [2009] NSWCA 413; 262 ALR 691; 77 ATR 157; 236 FLR 401 Goldberg v Voigt [2020] NSWDC 174 Hancock v Rinehart (Lump sum costs) [2015] NSWSC 1640 Hayson v The Age Company Pty Ltd [2020] FCA 361 Jensen v Nationwide News Pty Ltd [No 13] [2019] WASC 451 KSMC Holdings t/as Hubba Bubba Childcare on Haig v Bowden [2020] NSWCA 28 Mark French v Triple M Melbourne Pty Ltd [2005] VSC 36 Mohareb v Booth [2020] NSWCA 49 Murray v Raynor [2019] NSWCA 274 Nationwide News Pty Limited v Rush [2020] FCAFC 115 Nickolopoulos & Ors v Greek Herald Pty Ltd [2002] NSWSC 808 Oskouie v Maddox [2019] NSWSC 428 Penson v Titan National Pty Ltd (no 3) [2015] NSWCA 121 Poniatowska v Channel Seven Sydney Pty Ltd (No. 2) [2020] SASCFC 5 Rogers v Nationwide News Pty Ltd [2003] HCA 52; (2003) 216 CLR 327 Satz v ACN 069 808 957 Pty Ltd [2010] NSWSC 365 Smith v Jones [2020] NSWDC 262 The Herald And Weekly Times Ltd v McGregor [1928] HCA 36; [1929] VLR 215; (1928) 41 CLR 254 Triggell v Pheeney [1951] HCA 23; (1951) 82 CLR 497 Zoef v Nationwide News Pty Ltd (2016) 92 NSWLR 570; [2016] NSWCA 283 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Plaintiff: Clive Matthews Defendant: Mark Pigram Representation: Counsel: Plaintiff: Mr R J De Meyrick