Houghton v Potts & Anor. (No 2) [2022] NSWSC 1778

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Houghton v Potts & Anor. (No 2) [2022] NSWSC 1778 Hearing dates: 10-14 October; 7, 8 and 15 December 2022 Date of orders: 22 December 2022 Decision date: 22 December 2022 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Chen J Decision: In proceedings 2016/144762: (1) Judgment for the defendants. (2) Order the plaintiff to pay the defendants' costs of the proceedings. In proceedings 2019/75534: (1) Judgment for the defendants. (2) Order the plaintiff to pay the defendants' costs of the proceedings. Catchwords: TORTS - Negligence – Fall over balcony wall – Reasonable foreseeability – Foreseeability of harm NEGLIGENCE – Duty of care – Leased premises –– Landlord's duty of care – Whether landlord breached duty of care TORTS – Negligence – Contributory negligence – risk of harm – Formulation of risk of – Whether defendants knew or should have known of risk of harm NEGLIGENCE – Causation – Onus of proof - Factual causation – Scope of liability NEGLIGENCE — Defences — Intoxication Legislation Cited: Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW) Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW) Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1965 (NSW) Residential Tenancies Act 1987 (WA) Residential Tenancies Act 2010 (NSW) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules Cases Cited: Adeels Palace Pty Limited v Moubarak (2009) 239 CLR 420; [2009] HCA 48 Adler v Australian Securities & Investments Commission (2003) 179 FLR 1; [2003] NSWCA 131 Alzawy v Coptic Orthodox Church Diocese of Sydney, St Mary and St Merkorious Church (No.2) [2016] NSWSC 1123 Australian Safeway Stores Pty Limited v Zaluzna (1987) 162 CLR 479; [1987] HCA 7 Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Rich (2005) 190 FLR 242; [2005] NSWSC 149 Avopiling Pty Ltd v Bosevski (2018) 98 NSWLR 171; [2018] NSWCA 146 Blacktown City Council v Hocking (2008) Aust Torts Rep 81-956; [2008] NSWCA 144 Boral Bricks Pty Ltd v Cosmidis (No 2) (2014) 86 NSWLR 393; [2014] NSWCA 139 Briginshaw v Briginshaw (1938) 60 CLR 336, 361-362; [1938] HCA 34 Calin v The Greater Union Organisation Pty Limited (1991) 173 CLR 33; [1991] HCA 23 Coles Supermarkets Australia Pty Limited v Bridge [2018] NSWCA 183 Dovuro Pty Ltd v Wilkins (2003) 215 CLR 317; [2003] HCA 51 Effem Foods Pty Ltd v Lake Cumberline Pty Ltd (1999) 161 ALR 599; [1999] HCA 15 Fox v Percy (2003) 214 CLR 118; [2003] HCA 22 Gauci v Commissioner of Taxation (Cth) (1975) 135 CLR 81; [1975] HCA 54 Goode v Angland (2017) 96 NSWLR 503; [2017] NSWCA 311 Gulic v Boral Transport Ltd [2016] NSWCA 269 Hawkesbury Sports Council v Martin [2019] NSWCA 76 Honeysett v The Queen (2014) 253 CLR 122; [2014] HCA 29 Hudson Investment Group Limited v Atanaskovic [2014] NSWCA 255 Hunt & Hunt v Mitchell Morgan Nominees Pty Ltd (2013) 247 CLR 613; [2013] HCA 10 Jones v Bartlett (2000) 205 CLR 166; [2000] HCA 56 Sakoua v Williams (2005) 64 NSWLR 588; [2005] NSWCA 405 Kassam v Hazzard [2021] NSWSC 1320 Libra Collaroy Pty Ltd v Bhide [2017] NSWCA 196 Neat Holdings Pty Ltd v Karajan Holdings Pty Ltd (1992) 67 ALJR 170; [1992] HCA 66 Neindorf v Junkovic (2005) 80 ALJR 341; [2005] HCA 75 Nelson v John Lysaght (Australia) Ltd (1975) 132 CLR 201, 215; [1975] HCA 9 New South Wales v Fahy (2007) 232 CLR 486; [2007] HCA 20 Nowlan v Marson Transport Pty Ltd (2001) 53 NSWLR 116, [2001] NSWCA 346 Origin Energy LPG Pty Ltd v Bestcare Foods Ltd [2012] NSWCA 407 Patrick Stevedores Operations (No 2) Pty Ltd v Hennessey [2015] NSWCA 253 Paul v Cooke (2013) 85 NSWLR 167; [2013] NSWCA 311 PPK Willoughby Pty Ltd v Baird [2021] NSWCA 312 Ridis v Strata Plan 10308 (2005) 63 NSWLR 449; [2005] NSWCA 246 Roads and Traffic Authority of NSW v Dederer (2007) 234 CLR 330; [2007] HCA 42 Russell v Carpenter [2022] NSWCA 252 Russell v Edwards (2006) 65 NSWLR 373; [2006] NSWCA 19 State of NSW v Ouhammi (2019) 101 NSWLR 160; [2019] NSWCA 225 State Rail Authority of NSW v Schadel [2001] NSWCA 394 Steinberg v Commissioner of Taxation (Cth) (1975) 134 CLR 640; [1975] HCA 63 T and X Company Pty Ltd v Chivas [2014] NSWCA 235 Tame v New South Wales (2002) 211 CLR 317; [2002] HCA 35 Thompson v Woolworths (Q'land) Pty Ltd (2005) 221 CLR 234; [2005] HCA 19 Vairy v Wyong Shire Council (2005) 223 CLR 422; [2005] HCA 62 Wallace v Kam (2013) 250 CLR 375; [2013] HCA 19 Watson v Foxman (1995) 49 NSWLR 315; [1995] NSWCA 497 Watson v George (1953) 89 CLR 409; [1953] HCA 41 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Proceedings 2016/144762 Darren Houghton (Plaintiff) Anthony Potts (First Defendant) Julie Anne Potts (Second Defendant)