Jordan v Goldspring (No 2) [2022] NSWSC 780

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Jordan v Goldspring (No 2) [2022] NSWSC 780 Hearing dates: 1 and 2 November 2021 Date of orders: 14 June 2022 Decision date: 14 June 2022 Jurisdiction: Equity Before: Henry J Decision: See [171]-[172] Catchwords: CONTEMPT — Civil contempt — Breach of orders – where orders required executors to file and serve a statement of accounts (in common form) – where new orders were made requiring more detailed accounts and documents to be produced – where executors filed and served accounts purportedly in response to both orders – where contempt charges brought in relation to both orders - whether contempt charge in relation to first orders has utility – where executors' accounts did not cover the whole period of their administration of the deceased's estate but breach fully remedied by compliance with new orders – discretion not to exercise contempt jurisdiction – whether charges in relation to second orders should be dismissed for imprecision – whether contempt charges are an abuse of process where applicants also seeking relief to revoke the grant of probate to the executors – where contempt charges in relation to later orders raise multiple alleged breaches – finding of limited breaches and civil contempt Legislation Cited: Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW) Supreme Court Rules 1970 (NSW) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) Cases Cited: Alpass v Hession [2017] VSC 748 Anderson v Hassett (No 2) [2007] NSWSC 1444 Anderson v Hassett [2007] NSWSC 1310 Athens & Anor v Randwick City Council [2005] NSWCA 317 Australasian Meat Industry Employees Union v Mudginberri Station Pty Ltd (1986) 161 CLR 98; [1986] HCA 46 Australian Consolidated Press Limited v Morgan (1965) 112 CLR 483 at 489; [1965] HCA 21 Bellerive Homes Pty Limited v FW Projects Pty Limited [2019] NSWSC 193 Chow v Chow [2016] NSWSC 908 Concrete Constructions Pty Ltd v Plumbers and Gasfitters Employees' Union (No 2) (1987) 15 FCR 64 Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union v Boral Resources (Vic) Pty Ltd (2015) 256 CLR 375; [2015] HCA 21 Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union v Grocon Constructors (Victoria) Pty Ltd [2014] VSCA 261 Dowling v Prothonotary of the Supreme Court of New South Wales [2018] NSWCA 340 Eshow v Zaia [2020] NSWCA 10 Glazier v Australian Men's Health (No 2) [2001] NSWSC 6 Hagan v Waterhouse [1983] 2 NSWLR 395 Hana v Shad Legal Services Pty Ltd [2021] NSWCA 258 Hancock v Reinhardt [2015] NSWSC 646 Harmsworth v Harmsworth [1987] 1 WLR 1676 Hearne v Street (2008) 235 CLR 125; [2008] HCA 36 Juul v Northey [2010] NSWCA 211 lnghams Enterprises Pty Ltd v Timania Pty Ltd [2005] FCAFC 155 Mahaffy v Mahaffy [2018] NSWCA 42 Markisic v Commonwealth of Australia [2007] NSWCA 92 Matthews v ASIC [2009] NSWCA 155 McLauchlan v Prince [2001] WASC 43 Meehan v Glazier Holdings Pty Ltd [2002] NSWCA 22; (2002) 54 NSWLR 146 Montgomery v Stewart (1967) 116 CLR 220; [1967] HCA 11 New South Wales Bar Association v Muirhead (1988) 14 NSWLR 173 NHB Enterprises Pty Ltd v Corry (No 7) [2021] NSWSC 741 O'Connor v Hough [2016] 2 Qd R 543; [2016] QSC 4 O'Shane v Harbour Radio Pty Ltd (2013) 85 NSWLR 698; [2013] NSWCA 315 Pang v Bydand Holdings Pty Ltd [2011] NSWCA 69 Re Jimmy's Recipe Pty Ltd [2020] NSWSC 93 Re Modern Woodcraft Pty Ltd (in liq) (1997) 75 FCR 245 Rock v Henderson [2021] NSWCA 155 Torlonia v Wright [2016] NSWSC 1139 Williams v Spautz (1992) 174 CLR 509; [1992] HCA 34 Witham v Holloway (1995) 183 CLR 525 Witness JA v Scott [2015] QCA 285 Texts Cited: The Laws of Australia (2022, Thomson Reuters) Ritchie's Uniform Civil Procedure New South Wales (loose-leaf, LexisNexis Australia) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Katherine Mary Jordan (First Applicant/Plaintiff) Rhonda Fay Thomas (Second Applicant/Plaintiff) Lynette June Goldspring (Third Applicant/Plaintiff)