Preston v Nikolaidis [2021] NSWSC 36

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Preston v Nikolaidis [2021] NSWSC 36 Hearing dates: 18 and 19 June 2020; further submissions received on 8 July 2020 and 28 September 2020 Date of orders: 2 February 2021 Decision date: 02 February 2021 Jurisdiction: Equity - Applications List Before: Williams J Decision: Leave is granted to the plaintiff to rely on four affidavits in support of his application for leave to file a verified statement of claim dated 17 September 2019. However, leave to file that verified statement of claim is refused. Catchwords: PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – application – in proceeding commenced in 1993, order made requiring plaintiff to obtain leave to file statement of claim seeking orders setting aside various costs orders made between 1995 and 2014 – whether the proposed pleading discloses a reasonable cause of action under Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), rr 36.15(1) and/or 36.16(3) JUDGMENTS AND ORDERS – res judicata – cause of action estoppel – issue estoppel – Anshun estoppel PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – inherent jurisdiction – abuse of process Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), ss 56, 57, 58, 59, 91 and 98 Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), s 300 Evidence Act 1995 (NSW), ss 136 and 191 Family Law Act 1975 (Cth), s 79 Legal Profession Act 1987 (NSW), s 208 Limitation Act 1969 (NSW), ss 14 and 63 Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW), ss 38–56 Supreme Court Rules 1970 (NSW), Pt 40 r 8 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), rr 13.4, 36.15 and 36.16 Cases Cited: Bajrmovic v Calubaquib [2015] NSWCA 139 Batistatos v Roads and Traffic Authority of New South Wales (2006) 226 CLR 256; [2006] HCA 27 Beck v Weinstock [2012] NSWCA 289 Bhagat v Smith [2000] NSWCA 89 Blair v Curran (1939) 62 CLR 464 Brimaud v Honeysett Instant Print Pty Ltd (1988) 217 ALR 44 C G Maloney Pty Ltd v Noon [2011] NSWCA 397 Champerslife Pty Ltd v Manojloviski (2010) 75 NSWLR 245; [2010] NSWCA 33 Clayton v Bant (2020) 95 ALJR 34; [2020] HCA 44 Ekes v Commonwealth Bank of Australia (2014) 313 ALR 665; [2014] NSWCA 336 General Steel Industries Inc v Commissioner of Railways (1964) 112 CLR 125 James v Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (2020) 380 ALR 566; [2020] NSWCA 101 Kuligowski v Metrobus (2004) 220 CLR 363; [2004] HCA 34 Labracon Pty Ltd v Cuturich (2013) 17 BPR 32,497; [2013] NSWSC 97 Liu v The Age Company Pty Ltd (2016) 92 NSWLR 679; [2016] NSWCA 115 Macquarie Bank Ltd v National Mutual Life Association of Australia Ltd (1996) 40 NSWLR 543 New South Wales v Williams (2014) 242 A Crim R 22; [2014] NSWCA 177 Nominal Defendant v Cordin [2017] NSWCA 6 Preston v Nikolaidis [2010] NSWSC 66 Preston v Nikolaidis [2010] NSWSC 131 Preston v Nikolaidis [2010] NSWSC 427 Preston v Nikolaidis [2011] NSWSC 1074 Preston v Nikolaidis [2017] NSWSC 1527 Preston v Nikolaidis, Supreme Court of New South Wales, R S Hulme J, 28 February 1995, unreported Preston v Nikolaidis, Supreme Court of New South Wales, Young J, 25 July 1996, unreported Preston v Nikolaidis, Supreme Court of New South Wales, Master McLaughlin, 25 August 2000, unreported Rogers v The Queen (1994) 181 CLR 251 The Council of Trinity Grammar School v Anderson (2019) 101 NSWLR 762; [2019] NSWCA 292 Tomlinson v Ramsey Food Processing Pty Ltd (2015) 256 CLR 507; [2015] HCA 28 UBS AG v Tyne (2018) 265 CLR 77; [2018] HCA 45 Wentworth v Rogers (No. 5) (1986) 6 NSWLR 534 Williams v Spautz (1992) 174 CLR 509 Texts Cited: K R Handley, Spencer Bower and Handley: Res Judicata (5th ed, LexisNexis Butterworths, 2019) Category: Procedural rulings Parties: In proceeding 1993/23395: John Preston (First Plaintiff/Applicant) Western Suburbs Constructions Pty Ltd (formerly Preston Erections Pty Limited) (Second Plaintiff) Leon Nikolaidis in his capacity as the executor of the estate of the late Mitrofanis Demetrius Nikolaidis (First Defendant/First Respondent) Leon Nikolaidis trading as M.D. Nikolaidis & Co (Second Defendant/Second Respondent) Michael Zwar (Third Defendant/Third Respondent)