Burton v Babb [2020] NSWCA 331

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Burton v Babb [2020] NSWCA 331 Hearing dates: 24 November 2020 Date of orders: 16 December 2020 Decision date: 16 December 2020 Before: Payne JA and Simpson AJA at [1] Brereton JA at [63] Decision: 1. Leave to appeal against the orders: a. that the State of New South Wales be joined as a party to the proceedings; and b. that the first and second defendants be removed from the proceedings; granted; 2. Appeal allowed in part; 3. The appeal against orders 1(a) and 1(b) above allowed; 4. Orders 1(a) and 1(b) set aside and in lieu thereof the State of NSW's notice of motion of 7 August 2020 is dismissed with costs; 5. Leave to appeal against the dismissal of the applicant's notice of motion of 27 July2020 refused; 6. No order as to the costs of the proceeding in this Court. Catchwords: APPEALS — application for leave to appeal —interlocutory orders – issue of principle identified – application of rr 6.24, 6.29 UCPR – joinder and removal of parties – leave to appeal granted in respect of joinder of the State and removal of named defendants CIVIL PROCEDURE — Parties — Joinder of defendant — whether necessary party – application by State of New South Wales to be joined as party to action in which the State admitted vicarious liability in relation to torts pleaded against defendants – no conclusion that State ought to have been joined by plaintiff as a party – held, not necessary for resolution of all matters for State to be joined CIVIL PROCEDURE — Parties — Removal of parties – where primary judge ordered removal of two named defendants under r 6.29 UCPR after joinder of State – held, joinder of State did not mean that named defendants ceased to be necessary or proper parties CIVIL PROCEDURE — Jury — Availability of jury trial — Interests of justice – where plaintiff alleged apprehended bias on the part of judicial officers – where first defendant is "well known in legal circles" and second defendant is "high profile" – held, no reasonable apprehension of bias – application for leave to appeal refused Legislation Cited: Court Suppression and Non-publication Orders Act 2010 (NSW), s 7 Crown Proceedings Act 1988 (NSW), s 5(1) Director of Public Prosecutions Act 1986 (NSW), ss 4, 35 District Court Act 1973 (NSW), s 76A Employees Liability Act 1991 (NSW), s 3 Law Reform (Vicarious Liability) Act 1983 (NSW), ss 8, 10 Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW) s 101(2)(e) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), rr 6.21, 6.24(1), 6.27, 6.29 Western Australia Marine Act 1982 (WA), s 124 Cases Cited: Atid Navigation Co Ltd v Fairplay Towage & Shipping Co Ltd [1955] 1 WLR 336; 1 All ER 698 Bell v State of Western Australia (2004) 28 WAR 555; [2004] WASCA 205 Bhattacharya v Minister for Police [2000] NSWSC 335 Bhattacharya v Minister for Police, NSW [1999] NSWSC 956 Bhattacharya v Minister for Police, NSW [2001] NSWCA 109. Boyd v Thorn (2017) 96 NSWLR 390; [2017] NSWCA 210 Broom v Morgan [1953] 1 QB 597; 1 All ER 849 Burton v Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions [2019] NSWCA 245 Commonwealth v Connell (1986) 5 NSWLR 218 Dollfus Mieg et Compagnie SA v Bank of England [1950] Ch 33; 1 All ER 747 FAI General Insurance Co Ltd v A R Griffiths & Sons Pty Ltd (1997) 71 ALJR 651 Foxe v Brown (1984) 58 ALR 542; [1984] HCA 69 Foxe v Brown [1984] HCA 69; (1984) 59 ALJR 186; 58 ALR 542 Harvey v R G O'Dell Ltd [1958] 2 QB 78; 1 All ER 657 Jaycar Pty Ltd v Lombardo [2011] NSWCA 284 John Alexander's Clubs Pty Ltd v White City Tennis Club Ltd (2010) 241 CLR 1; [2010] HCA 19 Kliendienst v Kliendienst (1959) 59 SR (NSW) 150 Landini v State of New South Wales [2008] NSWSC 1280 Lister v Romford Ice & Cold Storage Co Ltd [1957] AC 555; 1 All ER 125 Marinelli v State of Victoria [2018] VSC 251 Maroubra Rugby League Football Club Inc v Malo (2007) 69 NSWLR 496; [2007] NSWCA 39 McGrath v The Council of the Municipality of Fairfield (1985) 156 CLR 672 News Ltd v Australian Rugby Football League Limited (1996) 64 FCR 410; [1996] FCA 870 Paul Robert Burton and Andrew Katelaris v Lloyd Babb and Michael Coutts-Trotter, (District Court (NSW), 14 August 2020, unrep) Pegang Mining Co Ltd v Choong Sam [1969] 2 MLJ 52 Prior v State of New South Wales [1998] NSWCA 289 Richardson v O'Neill [1959] NZLR 540 Robinson v State of New South Wales (2018) 100 NSWLR 782; [2018] NSWCA 231 Rolls Royce Industrial Power (Pacific) Ltd v James Hardie & Co Pty Ltd (2001) 53 NSWLR 626; [2001] NSWCA 461 Ross v Lane Cove Council (2014) 86 NSWLR 34; [2014] NSWCA 50 The Age Company Ltd v Liu (2013) 82 NSWLR 268; [2013] NSWCA 26 The Koursk [1924] P 140; All ER Rep 168 Tobin v R (1864) 16 CBNS 310; 143 ER 1148 Vandervell Trustees Ltd v White [1971] AC 912; [1970] 3 All ER 16 Victoria v Sutton (1998) 195 CLR 291; [1998] HCA 56 Voli v Inglewood Shire Council (1963) 110 CLR 74; [1963] HCA 15 Walker v Commonwealth Trading Bank of Australia (1985) 3 NSWLR 496 Waugh v Waugh (1950) 50 SR (NSW) 210 (FC) Wood v State of New South Wales [2019] NSWCA 313 Texts Cited: New South Wales Legislative Assembly, Parliamentary Debates (Hansard), 18 October 1988 at 2416 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Paul Robert Burton (Applicant) Lloyd Babb (First Respondent) Michael Coutts-Trotter (Second Respondent) State of New South Wales (Third Respondent) Representation: Counsel: Applicant in person G J Bateman (Respondents)