Lazarus v Keneally [2023] NSWSC 349

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Lazarus v Keneally [2023] NSWSC 349 Hearing dates: 24 November 2022 Decision date: 11 April 2023 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Ierace J Decision: (1) Refuse leave to the first and second plaintiffs to file the notice of discontinuance dated 23 November 2022; (2) The summons filed 1 April 2022 is dismissed; (3) The first and second plaintiffs are to pay the fifth defendant's costs of the proceedings. Catchwords: CIVIL PROCEDURE – Summary disposal – Dismissal of proceedings – Where first and second plaintiffs convicted of offences following ICAC investigation – Where plaintiffs seek declarations former Premier and various judicial officers engaged in torture contrary to the Criminal Code (Cth) – Whether pleadings disclose no reasonable cause of action – Whether proceedings would be an abuse of process Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), s 56 Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), ss 178BB, 300 Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW), s 12 Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth), Sch 1, s 274.2 Independent Commission Against Corruption Act 1988 (NSW), ss 11, 74A, 87 Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW), s 69 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), rr 12.1, 13.4, 13.6, 14.28 Cases Cited: Dacich v Director of Public Prosecutions (NSW) [2020] NSWCA 313 General Steel Industries v Commissioner for Railways (NSW) (1964) 112 CLR 125; [1964] HCA 69 Greiner v Independent Commission Against Corruption (1992) 28 NSWLR 125 Hammond v New South Wales [2013] NSWSC 1930 Lazarus v Director of Public Prosecutions (NSW) [2015] NSWCA 408 Lazarus v Director of Public Prosecutions (NSW) [2015] NSWSC 426 Lazarus v Director of Public Prosecutions (NSW) [2015] NSWSC 1116 Lazarus v Director of Public Prosecutions (NSW) [2016] NSWCA 47 Lazarus v Independent Commission Against Corruption [2019] NSWCA 100 Lazarus v The State of New South Wales [2018] NSWSC 998 Leerdam v Noori (2009) 227 FLR 210; [2009] NSWCA 90 Penson v Titan National Pty Ltd [2015] NSWCA 404 Seidler v Carrol & O'Dea [2013] NSWSC 338 Ugur v Attorney General for New South Wales [2019] NSWCA 86 Yeldham v Rajski (1989) 18 NSWLR 48 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Sandra Lazarus (First Plaintiff) Michelle Lazarus (Second Plaintiff) Jessica Lazarus (Third Plaintiff) Kristina Keneally (First Defendant) Joanne Keogh (Second Defendant) Michael Barnes (Third Defendant) Peter Garling (Fourth Defendant) Attorney General for New South Wales (Fifth Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Submitting appearance (First, Second and Third Defendants) J G Wherrett (Fifth Defendant)