Rock v Henderson [2021] NSWCA 155

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Rock v Henderson [2021] NSWCA 155 Hearing dates: 12 July 2021 Date of orders: 29 July 2021 Decision date: 29 July 2021 Before: Bell P at [1]; Brereton JA at [4]; Wright J at [51]. Decision: (1) Grant the applicant leave to appeal. (2) Direct the appellant to file a notice of appeal in the form of the draft notice of appeal in the White Folder within 7 days. (3) Allow the appeal. (4) Set aside the orders made by the District Court on 10 December 2020 and, in lieu, order that the notice of motion filed on 22 September 2020 be dismissed with the applicant on that motion to pay the cost of the respondent to that motion. (5) The respondent is to pay the applicant/appellant's costs of the application for leave to appeal and the appeal. Catchwords: CIVIL PROCEDURE – Pleadings – Striking out –Appeal against striking out of Statement of Claim in full – Where quantum of damages claimed identical to value of real property subject to family law proceedings – Whether proceedings brought for an improper or collateral purpose and thus an abuse of process – No sufficient basis for finding of abuse – Whether District Court erred in striking out applicant's statement of claim as defective in form – Whether reasonable causes of action – Statement of claim not so defective as to justify striking out TORTS – Malicious prosecution – Damage – Where limitations on recoverability of costs in subject proceedings – Whether legal costs of defence and lost earnings are actionable damage TORTS – Malicious prosecution – Elements – Whether malice and absence of reasonable or probable cause adequately particularised – Whether necessary to show that prosecutor prejudiced by false information – Whether Apprehend Domestic Violence Order proceedings capable of founding malicious prosecution claim TORTS – Trespass to land – Damage – Whether distress to children of claimant actionable damage Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), Pt 9 Divs 1-2 Crimes (Domestic and Personal Violence) Act 2007 (NSW), ss 99, 99A Family Law Act 1975 (Cth), ss 75(2)(o), 79 Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW), ss 101(2)(e) Supreme Court Rules 1970 (NSW), r 17 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), rr 13.4, 14.28, 42.34, 42.35 Cases Cited: A v State of New South Wales (2007) 230 CLR 500; [2007] HCA 10 Attila Boros v Pages Property Investments Pty Ltd [2018] NSWCA 269 Balmain New Ferry Co Ltd v Robertson (1906) 4 CLR 379; [1906] HCA 83 Bleyer v Google Inc (2014) 88 NSWLR 670; [2014] NSWSC 897 Briginshaw v Briginshaw (1938) 60 CLR 336; [1938] HCA 34 Cachia v Hanes (1994) 179 CLR 403; [1994] HCA 14 Carson v Legal Services Commissioner [2000] NSWCA 308 Childs v Lewis (1924) 40 TLR 870 Clavel v Savage [2013] NSWSC 775 Coleman v Buckingham's Ltd (1963) 63 SR (NSW) 171 Commonwealth Life Assurance Society Ltd v Brain (1935) 53 CLR 343; [1935] HCA 30 Commonwealth Life Assurance Society Ltd v Smith (1938) 59 CLR 527; [1938] HCA 2 Cooper v Mulcahy [2012] NSWSC 373 Cooper v Mulcahy [2013] NSWCA 160 Giller v Procopets (2008) 24 VR 1; (2008) 40 Fam LR 378; [2008] VSCA 236 Goldsmith v Sperrings Ltd [1977] 1 WLR 478; 2 All ER 566 Grizonic v Suttor [2008] NSWSC 914 Gwe v Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police (2020) 103 NSWLR 509; [2020] NSWCA 247 HD v State of New South Wales [2016] NSWCA 85 Hickey, In the Marriage of (2003) 30 Fam LR 355; [2003] FamCA 395 Kennon, In the Marriage of (1997) 22 Fam LR 1; 139 FLR 118; FLC ¶92-757; [1997] FamCA 27 Li v Deng (No 2) [2012] NSWSC 1245 Majory, A Debtor, Re; Ex parte The Debtor v F A Dumont Ltd [1955] Ch 600; 2 WLR 1035 Marsh, In the Marriage of (1993) 17 Fam LR 289; (1994) FLC ¶92-443; [1993] FamCA 57 Martin v Watson [1996] AC 74; [1995] 3 All ER 559 Massarani v Kriz [2020] NSWCA 252 McDonald v Coles Myer Ltd (t/as K-Mart Chatswood) (1995) Aust Torts Reports ¶81-361; [1995] NSWSC 67 Ridgeway v The Queen (1995) 184 CLR 19; [1995] HCA 66 Robinson v Balmain New Ferry Co Ltd [1910] AC 295 Sahade v Bischoff [2015] NSWCA 418 Savile v Roberts (1698) 1 LdRaym 374; 12 Mod Rep 208 Smith v Commonwealth Life Assurance Society Ltd (1935) 35 SR (NSW) 552 Soare v Ashley [1955] VLR 438 State of New South Wales v Cuthbertson (2018) 99 NSWLR 120; [2018] NSWCA 320 State of New South Wales v Landini [2010] NSWCA 157 Valceski v Valceski (2007) 70 NSWLR 36; 36 Fam LR 620; 210 FLR 387; FLC ¶93-312; [2007] NSWSC 440 Victoria International Container Terminal Limited v Lunt [2021] HCA 11; (2021) 388 ALJR 376 Walton v McBride (1995) 36 NSWLR 440; [1995] NSWSC 17 Williams v Spautz (1992) 174 CLR 509; [1992] HCA 34 Texts Cited: H Luntz, AD Hambly & R Hayes, Torts: Cases and Commentary (2nd ed, 1985, Butterworths) RP Balkin & JLR Davis, Law of Torts (5th ed, 2013, LexisNexis Butterworths) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Darren Rock (Applicant) Kim Henderson (First Respondent) Representation: Counsel: