Robinson v State of New South Wales [2021] NSWSC 1571

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Robinson v State of New South Wales [2021] NSWSC 1571 Hearing dates: 7 & 16 December 2021 Date of orders: 21 December 2021 Decision date: 21 December 2021 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Davies J Decision: (1) The proceedings are dismissed pursuant to rule 13.4 of the Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW). (2) The plaintiff is to pay the defendants' costs. Catchwords: CIVIL PROCEDURE - summary disposal - dismissal of proceedings - abuse of process - no reasonable cause of action disclosed - statement of claim filed by plaintiff against six defendants including State of NSW, Court of Appeal judges, Chief Justice, Attorney-General and High Court judges - plaintiff seeks compensation for mental harm from negligence or intentional or reckless act - prior proceedings under Succession Act for family provision - Deed of release approved by Court - attempt by plaintiff to re-litigate earlier proceedings - finality principle - judicial immunity - where State of NSW not vicariously liable for acts or omissions of a judicial officer - powers and duties of the Attorney-General – proceedings dismissed Legislation Cited: Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW) s 43A Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW) Contracts Review Act 1980 (NSW) Crown Proceedings Act 1998 (NSW) Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth) s 31A High Court of Australia Act 1979 (Cth) s 45 Judicial Officers Act 1986 (NSW) ss 44A, 44C Succession Act 2006 (NSW) s 95 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) rr 7.10, 13.4, 14.28 Cases Cited: Agar v Hyde (2000) 201 CLR 552; [2000] HCA 41 Bar-Mordecai v Bryson and Ors [2002] NSWSC 815 Barton v The Queen (1980) 147 CLR 75; [1980] HCA 48 Batistatos v Roads and Traffic Authority of New South Wales (2006) 226 CLR 256; [2006] HCA 27 Crimmins v Stevedoring Industry Finance Committee (1999) 200 CLR 1; [1999] HCA 59 Cameron v Qantas Airways Ltd and Anor [2010] NSWSC 899 D'Orta-Ekenaike v Victoria Legal Aid (2005) 223 CLR 1; [2005] HCA 12 Dare v Pulham (1982) 148 CLR 658 Donaldson v Commonwealth of Australia [2011] NSWSC 423 Donaldson v State of New South Wales [2019] NSWCA 109 Fancourt v Mercantile Credits Ltd (1983) 154 CLR 87 Fingleton v R (2005) 227 CLR 166; [2005] HCA 34 General Steel Industries Inc. v Commissioner for Railways (1964) 112 CLR 125; [1964] HCA 69 Gouriet v Attorney-General [1978] AC 435 Haines v Australian Broadcasting Corporation (1995) 43 NSWLR 404 Hammond v The State of New South Wales [2013] NSWSC 1930 Hammond v State of New South Wales [2015] NSWCA 304 Hill v Chief Constable of West Yorkshire [1989] AC 53 McGuirk v The University of New South Wales [2009] NSWSC 1424 Paul Ernest Simmons v Protective Commissioner of NSW also known as NSW Trustee and Guardian [2012] NSWSC 455 Robinson v Robinson [2020] NSWCA 4 Robinson v Robinson & Ors [2020] HCASL 116 Shaw v State of New South Wales [2012] NSWCA 102 Spencer v the Commonwealth (2010) 241 CLR 118; [2010] HCA 28 Stankovic v State of NSW [2016] NSWSC 18 Stankovic v State of New South Wales [2016] NSWCA 168 Sullivan v Moody (2001) 207 CLR 562; [2001] HCA 59 Towie v State of Victoria (2008) 19 VR 640 Texts Cited: Nil Category: Principal judgment Parties: Sarah Robinson (Plaintiff) State of New South Wales (First Defendant) Justice Pembroke (Second Defendant) The Attorney General Mark Raymond Speakman (Third Defendant) The Chief Justice of NSW Tom Bathurst (Fourth Defendant) Judges in the Court of Appeal (Fifth Defendants) Commonwealth of Australia (Sixth Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Jessica Robinson granted leave to appear for plaintiff on 7 December 2021. Plaintiff excused from appearing on 16 December 2021 I Harvey (First to Fifth Defendants) C Trahanas (Sixth Defendant)