MCCABE v RIECHELMANN [2023] NSWDC 44

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: MCCABE v RIECHELMANN [2023] NSWDC 44 Hearing dates: 14 – 18 February 2022; 21 – 24 February 2022; 20 – 24 June 2022; 30 June 2022 (directions); 1 August 2022 – 2 August 2022; 12 September 2022 (written submissions - plaintiff); 26 October 2022 (written submissions - defendant); 8 November 2022 (written submissions – plaintiff in reply); 8 December 2022 (oral submissions) Date of orders: 21 February 2023 Decision date: 21 February 2023 Jurisdiction: Civil Before: Dicker SC DCJ Decision: (1) Judgment for the plaintiff against the defendant in the Statement of Claim proceedings. (2) Judgment for the plaintiff/cross-defendant against the defendant/cross-claimant in the Cross-Claim proceedings. (3) The Cross-claim proceedings are dismissed against the plaintiff. (4) The parties are to bring in agreed short minutes of orders reflecting these reasons within 14 days. (5) The question of costs of the Statement of Claim proceedings and the Cross-claim proceedings are reserved. Catchwords: TORTS – battery – allegations of intentional battery by both plaintiff and defendant – whether throwing a glass of wine over a person constitutes a battery – whether intentional or negligent battery – self-defence – assault EVIDENCE – standard of proof – need for persuasive evidence in relation to allegations of intentional battery with intent to cause injury – whether Court persuaded of either case of plaintiff or defendant on the evidence Legislation Cited: Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW) Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) Legal Profession Uniform Law Australian Solicitors' Conduct Rules 2015 Cases Cited: A v B [2021] NSWDC 491 Argo Managing Agency Ltd v Al Kammessy [2018] NSWCA 176 Barton v Armstrong [1969] 2 NSWR 451 Briginshaw v Briginshaw (1938) 60 CLR 336 Croucher v Cachia [2016] NSWCA 132; (2016) 95 NSWLR 117 Dickson v Northern Lakes Rugby League Sport & Recreation Club Inc [2020] NSWCA 294; (2020) 103 NSWLR 658 Fontin v Katapodis (1962) 108 CLR 177 Fox v Percy [2003] HCA 22; (2003) 214 CLR 118 Gautam v Health Care Complaints Commission [2021] NSWCA 85 Goode v Angland [2017] NSWCA 311 Goodrich Aerospace Pty Ltd v Arsic [2006] NSWCA 187 Mason v Demasi [2009] NSWCA 227 Musa v Alzreaiawi [2021] NSWCA 12 Neat Holdings Pty Ltd v Karajan Holdings Pty Ltd (1992) 67 ALJR 170; [1992] HCA 66 Nguyen v Tran [2018] NSWCA 215 Payne v Parker (1976) 1 NSWLR 191 Penfolds Wines Pty Ltd v Elliott (1946) 74 CLR 204 Raad v State of New South Wales [2017] NSWDC 63 Ramsey v Denton [2020] NSWDC 426 Ramsey v Denton [2021] NSWCA 310 Ray v Southon [2022] NSWCA 267 Saravinovska v Saravinovski (No 6) [2016] NSWSC 964 Slaveski v State of Victoria [2010] VSC 441 Southon v Ray [2022] NSWDC 32 State of New South Wales v Abed [2014] NSWCA 419 State of New South Wales v Ibbett (2005) 65 NSWLR 168; [2005] NSWCA 445. State of New South Wales v McMaster [2015] NSWCA 228; (2015) 91 NSWLR 666 State of New South Wales v Ouhammi [2019] NSWCA 225 Watkins v State of Victoria (2010) 27 VR 543 William Leitch & Co Ltd v Leydon (1931) AC 90 Texts Cited: D Villa, Annotated Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW), Third Edition, 2018 Category: Principal judgment Parties: David Terance McCabe (Plaintiff) Julie Riechelmann (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: J Dodd (Plaintiff) J Morris SC and M Bridger (Defendant)