Choi v Secretary, Department of Communities and Justice [2022] NSWCA 170

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Choi v Secretary, Department of Communities and Justice [2022] NSWCA 170 Hearing dates: 28 July 2022 Date of orders: 1 September 2022 Decision date: 01 September 2022 Before: Ward P; Meagher JA; Leeming JA Decision: 1. Dismiss with costs Ms Choi's summons dated 6 April 2022 and filed 20 April 2022, seeking leave to appeal from the decisions of Bellew J of 9 March 2022 and 22 March 2022, respectively. 2. Dismiss with costs (pursuant to r 13.4 of the UCPR as frivolous and vexatious and an abuse of process) Ms Choi's summons dated 9 June 2022 and filed 13 June 2022, seeking judicial review of the said decisions of Bellew J. 3. Dismiss with costs Ms Choi's notice of motion dated 21 June 2022. 4. Direct the Registrar not to file the notices of motion dated 27 and 28 July 2022 forwarded by email by Ms Choi. 5. Direct the Registrar that, should Ms Choi file a further motion seeking, in substance, leave to appeal from the decisions of Bellew J dated 9 March 2022 and 22 March 2022 respectively, the Registrar shall promptly vacate the return date, notify the parties, and refer the papers to a judge nominated by the President to determine, in Chambers, whether the Court should fix a new return date and notify the parties, or whether Ms Choi should be invited to show cause in writing why the Court should not, in Chambers, summarily dismiss the proceedings as vexatious and an abuse of process. Catchwords: APPEALS — Procedural fairness — Denial of procedural fairness — Where primary judge alleged to have worn a brown suit and no tie — Whether failure of primary judge to wear a robe and wig a denial of procedural fairness or a breach of the Court Attire Policy — No denial of procedural fairness APPEALS — Right of appeal — Relationship with judicial review — Where applicant sought leave to appeal from two decisions of the primary judge and judicial review of the same two decisions — Whether primary judge was exercising an administrative function in light of his Honour's omission to wear robes and a wig CIVIL PROCEDURE — Summary disposal — Dismissal of proceedings — Abuse of process — Whether judicial review proceedings an abuse of process APPEALS — Leave to appeal — Principles governing — Public importance APPEALS — From exercise of discretion — Whether House v The King (1936) 55 CLR 499; [1936] HCA 40 type error disclosed by the primary judge Legislation Cited: Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 2013 (NSW), ss 4(1)(d), 41, 80(2)(a), 83(1) Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), ss 56 and 98(4)(c) Civil Procedure Regulation 2017 (NSW), ss 41, 80(2)(a) and 83(1), cl 11(1) Court Security Act 2005 (NSW), ss 4, 9, 9A and 9B Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (NSW), ss 12(2)(e), 65(1), 68(1), 80(c), 80(j), 100, 101(1) and 125 Government Sector Employment Act 2013 (NSW) Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 (NSW) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), rr 1.12, 4.10(5)(b), 13.4(1), 36.15, 16.16, 36.15, 36.16, 42.1, 49.19, 50.12, 51.10(1)(b) and 59.10 Vexatious Proceedings Act 2008 (NSW), s7 Cases Cited: Attorney General (New South Wales) v Quin (1990) 170 CLR 1; [1990] HCA 21 Autodesk Inc v Dyason (No 2) (1993) 176 CLR 300; [1993] HCA 6 Be Financial Pty Ltd as Trustee for Be Financial Operations Trust v Das [2012] NSWCA 164 Beale v Government Insurance Office (NSW) (1997) 48 NSWLR 430 Carolan v AMF Bowling Pty Ltd t/as Bennetts Green Bowl [1995] NSWCA 69 Champion Homes Pty Ltd v Guirgis [2013] NSWCATAP 54 Chandrasekaran v Navaratnem [2021] NSWSC 1446 Choi v NSW Department of Justice [2019] NSWCATAD 248 Choi v NSW Ombudsman (2021) 104 NSWLR 505; [2021] NSWCA 68 Choi v Secretary, Department of Communities and Justice (No 2) [2022] NSWSC 301 Choi v Secretary, Department of Communities and Justice [2020] NSWCATAD 154 Choi v Secretary, Department of Communities and Justice [2021] NSWCATAP 8 Choi v Secretary, Department of Communities and Justice [2022] NSWSC 190 Choi v Secretary, Department of Justice and Communities [2022] NSWCA 172 Choi v University of Technology Sydney (No 2) [2020] NSWCA 342 Chu Kheng Lim v Minister for Immigration, Local Government and Ethnic Affairs (1992) 176 CLR 1; [1992] HCA 64 Clarke v State of New South Wales [2015] NSWCA 27 Coffs Harbour City Council v Noubia Pty Ltd [2022] NSWCA 32 Coles v Burke (1987) 10 NSWLR 429 Collier v Lancer (No 2) [2013] NSWCA 186 Collins v Urban [2014] NSWCATAP 17 Currabubula Holdings Pty Ltd v State Bank of New South Wales [2000] NSWSC 232 Dietrich v The Queen (1992) 177 CLR 292; [1992] HCA 57 Elphick v Westfield Shopping Centre Management Company Pty Ltd (2011) 216 IR 41; [2011] NSWCA 356 Fitness First Australia Pty Ltd v Dubow (2011) 251 FLR 241; [2011] NSWSC 351 Gallo v Dawson (1990) 64 ALJR 458; [1990] HCA 30 GAR v R [2021] NSWCCA 265 Ghosh v Miller (No 2) [2018] NSWCA 212 Gibson v Drumm [2016] NSWCA 206 Hammond v State of New South Wales [2015] NSWCA 304 Hamzy v Commissioner of Corrective Services (NSW) (2011) 80 NSWLR 296; [2011] NSWSC 120 Hassan v Sydney Local Health District (No 5) [2021] NSWCA 197 Hassan v Sydney Local Health District trading as Royal Prince Alfred Hospital [2021] HCASL 230 House v The King (1936) 55 CLR 499; [1936] HCA 40 Huddart, Parker and Co v Moorehead (1909) 8 CLR 330; [1909] HCA 36 Konneh v New South Wales (No 2) [2013] NSWSC 390 Lachlan v HP Mercantile Pty Ltd (2015) 89 NSWLR 198; [2015] NSWCA 130 Micallef v ICl Australia Operations Pty Ltd [2001] NSWCA 274 Moran v Armidale Local Aboriginal Lands Council [2019] NSWCA 220 Palmer v Ayers (2017) 259 CLR 478; [2017] HCA 5 Pell v Hodges [2007] NSWCA 234 Penson v Titan National Pty Ltd [2015] NSWCA 404 Perpetual Trustees Australia Ltd v Heperu Pty Ltd (No 2) (2009) 78 NSWLR 190; [2009] NSWCA 387 R v Trade Practices Tribunal; Ex parte Tasmanian Breweries Pty Ltd (1970) 123 CLR 361; [1970] HCA 8 R v Turner; Ex parte Marine Board of Hobart (1927) 39 CLR 411; [1927] HCA 15 Samootin v Shea [2013] NSWCA 312 Shamieh trading as Consolidated Lawyers v Easy Buy International Pty Limited [2010] NSWSC 970 Singh v State of NSW; Singh v Lekhwar [2021] NSWCA 260 Teoh v Hunters Hill Council (No 4) (2011) 81 NSWLR 771; [2011] NSWCA 324 Tomko v Palasty (No 2) (2007) 71 NSWLR 61; [2007] NSWCA 369 Waterside Workers' Federation (Aust) v JW Alexander Ltd (1918) 25 CLR 434; [1918] HCA 56 Whitehead v Nickells [2013] NSWSC 1446 Ye v Chen [2021] NSWSC 1098 Zepinic v Chateau Constructions (Aust) Ltd (No 2) [2019] NSWCA 187 Texts Cited: B Debelle, "Judicial Independence and the Rule of Law", (2001) 75(9) Australian Law Journal 556 Category: Procedural rulings Parties: Jae Hee Choi (Applicant) Secretary, Department of Communities and Justice (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: JH Choi (Applicant in person) J Cahill (Solicitor, Respondent)