Geyer v Ghosn [2020] NSWDC 744

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Geyer v Ghosn [2020] NSWDC 744 Hearing dates: 9-13 and 20 November 2020 Date of orders: 09 December 2020 Decision date: 09 December 2020 Jurisdiction: Civil Before: Gibson DCJ Decision: Orders (1) Judgment for the plaintiff for $125,000. (2) Costs reserved, with liberty to apply in relation to both interest and costs. (3) Exhibits retained until further order. Catchwords: Tort – defamation – assessment of damages Legislation Cited: Defamation Act 2005 (NSW) ss 14, 34, 35 Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) s 63 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 r 28.2 Cases Cited: Ainsworth v Burden (2003) 56 NSWLR 621 Aldridge v Johnston [2020] SASFC 31 Barrow v Bolt [2013] VSC 226 Bauer Media Pty Ltd v Wilson (No 2) (2018) 56 VR 674 Born Brands Pty Ltd v Nine Network Australia Pty Ltd (No 4) [2013] NSWSC 1649 Carson v John Fairfax & Sons Ltd (1993) 178 CLR 44; 13 ALR 577 Clift v Timms [1997] QCA 61 Crampton v Nugawela (1997) 41 NSWLR 176 David Syme & Co v Mather [1977] VR 516 Dingle v Associated Newspapers Ltd (1964) AC 371; [1962] 3 WLR 229 Fairfax Media Publications Pty Ltd v Pedavoli [2015] NSWCA 115 French v Fraser [2015] NSWSC 1807 Gayed v Abdelmalek [2020] VCC 1814 KSMC Holdings t/as Hubba Bubba Childcare on Haig v Bowden [2020] NSWCA 274 Mallick v McGeown [2008] NSWCA 230 Mickle v Farley [2013] NSWDC Mirror Newspapers Ltd v Fitzpatrick [1984] 1 NSWLR 643 Mohareb v Jankulovski [2014] NSWSC 767 Mohareb v Kelso [2020] NSWCA 105 Moran v Schwartz Publishing Pty Ltd (No 3) [2015] WASC 215 Nazerali v Mitchell [2016] BCSC 2424 Pedavoli v Fairfax Media Publications Pty Ltd [2014] NSWSC 1674 Rothe v Scott [2016] NSWDC 160 Sleeman v Nationwide News Pty Ltd [2004] NSWSC 954 Snedden v Nationwide News Pty Limited [2009] NSWSC 1446 Snedden v Nationwide News Pty Limited [2010] NSWCA 98 Snedden v Nationwide News Pty Limited (No 2) [2010] NSWCA 117 Snedden v Republic of Croatia [2007] FCA 1902 Wagner v Nine Network Australia Ltd [2019] QSC 284; [2020] QCA 221 Webster v Brewer (No 3) [2020] FCA 1343 XX v Nationwide News Pty Ltd [2010] NSWDC 147 Youssoupoff v MGM Pictures Pty Ltd (1934) 50 TLR 581 Texts Cited: Fleming, The Law of Torts, 1998 LBC Information Services Jim Griesemer, "Have we unleashed the monsters?", Digital Culturist, 7 March 2017 Practice Note DC (Civil) No.1 Tobin and Sexton (eds), Australian Defamation Law and Practice, looseleaf, service 90, vol 1. Category: Principal judgment Parties: Plaintiff: Montanna Maxlee Geyer Defendant: Fouad Ghosn Representation: Counsel: Plaintiff: Mr R Rasmussen Defendant: Mr J Cohen