Shao v Zhang & Anor; Zhang & Anor v Shao (No 2) [2022] NSWDC 179

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Shao v Zhang & Anor; Zhang & Anor v Shao (No 2) [2022] NSWDC 179 Hearing dates: Written submissions Date of orders: 26 May 2022 Decision date: 26 May 2022 Jurisdiction: Civil Before: Gibson DCJ Decision: Orders: (1) The Plaintiff pay the Defendants' costs on the ordinary basis up to 30 October 2020, and on the indemnity basis thereafter. (2) Pursuant to Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW) section 98(4)(c), the Plaintiff pay the Defendants' costs as a gross sum costs order in the amount of $243,833.37, representing costs of $18,950.95 on the ordinary basis up to 30 October 2020, and $ 224,882.42 on the indemnity basis thereafter. (3) Pursuant to Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW) section 100(1), the Plaintiff pay the Defendants the sum of $4,268.53 as pre-judgment interest. (4) Pursuant to Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW) section 101(1), the Plaintiff pay the Defendants the sum of $45 per day for each day since the delivery of the Judgment until the sum of $269,237.46 is paid by the Plaintiff in relation to the cross-claim. (5) The Plaintiff pay the Defendants' costs of the motion, as a gross sum costs order, in the sum of $8,492.24. Catchwords: COSTS - indemnity costs - offer of compromise - whether offer complies with UCPR r 20.26 - whether offer open for 28 days - Calderbank offers - whether offers a genuine compromise and capable of acceptance - whether costs should be assessed or the subject of gross sum costs orders Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW) ss 98, 100 and 101 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 rr 20.26, 42.1, 42.2, 42.14 and 42.16 Cases Cited: Calderbank v Calderbank (1975) 3 All ER 333 Chaina v Presbyterian Church (NSW) Property Trust (No 26) [2014] NSWSC 1009 Davis v Swift (No 2) [2015] NSWCA 137 Evans Shire Council v Richardson (No 2) [2006] NSWCA 61 Fabre v Lui (No 2) [2015] NSWCA 312 Fairfax Pty Ltd v Printlane Pty Ltd (No 2) [2009] NSWDC 121 Guest v Karl Romandi & Helen De Luis Pty Ltd (No. 2) [2012] NSWCA 105 Hazeldene's Chicken Farm Pty Ltd v Victorian WorkCover Authority (No 2) (2005) 13 VR 435 Jones v Bradley (No 2) [2003] NSWCA 258 Jones v Bradley (No 2) [2003] NSWCA 258 Leichhardt Municipal Council v Green [2004] NSWCA 341 Leichhardt Municipal Council v Green [2004] NSWCA 341 Miwa Pty Ltd v Siantan Properties Pty Ltd (No 2) [2011] NSWCA 344 Mohamed v Farah [2004] NSWSC 482 Multicon Engineering Pty Ltd v Federal Airports Corporation (1996) 138 ALR 425 Nobrega v Trustees of the Roman Catholic Church for the Archdiocese of Sydney (No 2) [1999] NSWCA 133 Port Stephens Shire Council & Anor v Tellamist Pty Ltd (No 2) [2004] NSWCA 415 Shao v Zhang & Anor; Zhang & Anor v Shao [2022] NSWDC 38 Snowy Mountains Grammar School Ltd v Adventurer AWD Pty Ltd [2022] NSWSC 53 Taheri v Vitek (No 2) [2014] NSWCA 344 Tim Barr Pty Ltd v Narui Gold Coast Pty Ltd [2011] NSWSC 11 Valmont Interiors Pty Ltd v Giorgio Armani Australia Pty Ltd (No 3) [2021] NSWCA 160 Wagner & Ors v Nine Network Australia & Ors (No 2) [2019] QSC 309 Category: Costs Parties: Plaintiff/cross-defendant: Mr Woquan Shao (self-represented) Defendants/cross-claimant: First defendant/ First cross-claimant: Ms Liying Zhang Second defendant/ Second cross-claimant: Oceania Investments Group Pty Ltd Representation: Counsel: Defendants/cross-claimants: Mr B Cameron