Allsop Investments Pty Ltd v Jerkovic & Ors [2021] NSWSC 1399

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Allsop Investments Pty Ltd v Jerkovic & Ors [2021] NSWSC 1399 Hearing dates: 30 March, 26 April and 4 June 2021 Date of orders: 23 November 2021 Decision date: 23 November 2021 Jurisdiction: Equity Before: Slattery J Decision: See paragraph [115]. Catchwords: COSTS – Security for Costs – the defendants seek an order for security for costs against the corporate plaintiff, a private company – the principal shareholder in the plaintiff is proposed to guarantee the obligations of the plaintiff and pay costs – no evidence as to the assets of the principal shareholding of the plaintiff – whether an order for security for costs should be made against the plaintiff. COSTS – Interlocutory costs – Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005, r 42.7 – defendants have the benefit of interlocutory costs orders against the plaintiff – defendants seek that the plaintiff pay the interlocutory cost orders forthwith – whether the circumstances warrant payment of the costs orders forthwith. CIVIL PROCEDURE – Court appointed expert – orders made for appointment of a Court expert – Court expert seeks directions for the future conduct of the expert's task – concern that parties are excessively corresponding with the Court expert and increasing the costs of the expert's work – need for discipline in the conduct of proceedings in relation to the Court expert. Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005, ss 56, 57, 60, 98(1)(b) Corporations Act 2001 (Cth), s 1335 District Court Act 1973, ss 134(1)(e), 134(1)(h) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005, rr 14.14, 42.21, 42.4(2), 42.7 Cases Cited: Allstate Life Insurance Co v Australia & New Zealand Banking Group Ltd [No 19] (1995) 134 ALR 187 Bagley v Pinebelt Pty Ltd [2000] NSWSC 830 Barnes v Addy (1874) LR 9 Ch App 244 Cornelius v Global Medical Solutions Australia Pty Ltd (2014) 98 ACSR 301 Epping Plaza Fresh Fruit & Vegetables Pty Ltd v Bevendale Pty Ltd [1999] 2 VR 191 Fiduciary Ltd v Morningstar Research Pty Ltd (2002) 55 NSWLR 1 Fiduciary Ltd v Morningstar Research Pty Ltd (2004) 208 ALR 564 Gattellari v Meagher [1999] NSWSC 1279 Gazal v Government Insurance Office (NSW) (1992) 29 NSWLR 336 Hastings v Hastings [2009] NSWCA 294 Idoport Pty Ltd v National Australia Bank Ltd [2001] NSWSC 744 Jazabas Pty Ltd v Haddad (2007) 65 ASCR 276 JWH Turner & Co Ltd v O'Riordan (1923) 40 WN (NSW) 64 KP Cable Investments Pty Ltd v Meltglow Pty Ltd (1995) 56 FCR 189 MetLife Insurance Ltd v Visy Board Pty Ltd [2008] NSWSC 111 Metropolitan Petar v Macedonian Orthodox Church [2007] NSWCA 142 Nicholls v Michael Wilson Partners Ltd (No 2) [2013] NSWCA 141 Nudd v Mannix [2009] NSWCA 327 Preston v Nikoladis [2017] NSWSC 1527 Re Sherborne Estate (No 2); Vanvalen v Neaves (2005) 65 NSWLR 268 Showtime Touring Group Pty Ltd v Mosley Touring Inc (2013) 296 ALR 597 Texts Cited: G Dal Pont, Law of Costs (4th ed, 2018, LexisNexis Butterworths) J. Hamilton, G. Lindsay, M. Morahan and C. Webster (eds), New South Wales Civil Procedure Handbook 2019 (Thompson Reuters, 9th ed, 2019) JP Hamilton, "Containment of costs: litigation and arbitration" (presentation, 1 June 2007) S. Hinchliffe, 'Civil Litigation Instituted by Impecunious Corporations: Security Against Costs', Halsbury's Laws of Australia (11 June 2019) Category: Procedural rulings Parties: Plaintiff/cross-defendant: Allsop Investments Pty Limited First defendant/cross-claimant: Joe Peter Jerkovic, trading as L J Hooker Riverwood Second defendant/cross-claimant: Gina Jerkovic Third defendant/cross-claimant: Mortdale Estate Pty Ltd Representation: Counsel: Plaintiff: Defendants: R. Tregenza