Wang Chunfeng v Law Society of New South Wales [2022] NSWSC 986

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Wang Chunfeng v Law Society of New South Wales [2022] NSWSC 986 Hearing dates: 19 July 2022 Date of orders: 19 July 2022 Decision date: 25 July 2022 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Basten AJ Decision: (1) Vacate the hearing dates fixed for 21 and 22 July 2022. (2) Relist the matter for directions before me on Thursday, 22 September 2022 at 9.30am. (3) Cost of today's motion be the defendant's costs in the proceedings. Catchwords: CIVIL PROCEDURE – application to vacate hearing date – notice to cross-examine plaintiff – plaintiff is a Chinese citizen residing in China – where Chinese internet firewall believed to prevent access to Court audio-visual link system – plaintiff to seek consent from Chinese authorities – delay – possible prejudice to defendant CIVIL PROCEDURE – audio-visual link – legislation authorising evidence by video link – whether taking evidence by video link to foreign country intrudes on sovereignty of foreign country – relevance of international comity – application of Evidence (Audio and Audio Visual Links) Act 1998 (NSW), s 5B – application to state court of principles in Joyce v Sunland Waterfront (BVI) Ltd (2011) 195 FCR 213; [2011] FCAFC 95 EVIDENCE – witness evidence – oaths and affirmations – application of Evidence (Audio and Audio Visual Links) Act 1998 (NSW), s 5D Legislation Cited: Evidence (Audio and Audio Visual Links) Act 1998 (NSW), ss 5B, 5D Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth), s 47A Legal Profession Uniform Law (NSW) 2014, s 247 Cases Cited: Auken Animal Husbandry Pty Ltd v 3RD Solution Investment Pty Ltd [2020] FCA 1153 CSR Ltd v Cigna Insurance Australia Ltd (1997) 189 CLR 345; [1997] HCA 33 Haiye Developments Pty Ltd v The Commercial Business Centre Pty Ltd [2020] NSWSC 732 Hilton v Guyot (1895) 159 US 113 Joyce v Sunland Waterfront (BVI) Ltd (2011) 195 FCR 213; [2011] FCAFC 95 Motorola Solutions, Inc v Hytera Communications Corporation Ltd (Adjournment) [2020] FCA 539 Société Nationale Industrielle Aerospatiale v United States District Court 482 US 522 (1987) Wang v Council of the Law Society of New South Wales [2009] NSWSC 67 Texts Cited: M Davies, AS Bell, PLG Brereton, M Douglas, Nygh's Conflict of Laws in Australia (10th ed, 2020, LexisNexis) M Davies, "Bypassing the Hague Evidence Convention: Private international law implications of the use of video and audio conferencing technology in transnational litigation" (2007) 55(2) The American Journal of Comparative Law 205 Civil Procedure Law of the People's Republic of China (1991), Art 263 Category: Procedural rulings Parties: Chunfeng Wang (Plaintiff) Law Society of New South Wales (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Mr P E King (Plaintiff) Mr T Prince (Defendant)