Benjamin & Khoury Pty Ltd v Rahme (No 4) [2023] NSWSC 1162

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Benjamin & Khoury Pty Ltd v Rahme (No 4) [2023] NSWSC 1162 Hearing dates: 29-30 August 2023 Date of orders: 28 September 2023 Decision date: 28 September 2023 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Chen J Decision: (1) Order in proceedings 2021/330107 and proceedings 2021/330110 there be no order as to costs, such that each party to bear its own costs of the proceedings. (2) Order the first defendant's notice of motion filed 8 March 2023 be dismissed. (3) Order the first defendant to pay the plaintiff's costs of, and incidental to, the first defendant's notice of motion filed 8 March 2023. Catchwords: COSTS – application for costs where proceedings dismissed by consent – whether plaintiff acted reasonably in commencement and continuation of proceedings – importance of proper regard to principles regarding costs application JUDGMENTS AND ORDERS – amending, varying and setting aside – where first defendant brought application to vary order of another judge of equal standing – where judge was not misled or under a misapprehension – application dismissed Legislation Cited: Legal Profession Uniform Law 2014 (NSW) Legal Profession Uniform Law Application Act 2014 (NSW) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) Cases Cited: Australian Securities Commission v Aust-Home Investments Ltd (1993) 44 FCR 194; [1993] FCA 585 Australiawide Airlines Ltd v Aspirion Pty Ltd [2006] NSWCA 365 Bale v Mills (2011) 81 NSWLR 498; [2011] NSWCA 226 Benjamin & Khoury Pty Ltd v Rahme (No 2) [2022] NSWSC 1143 Benjamin & Khoury Pty Ltd v Rahme [2022] NSWSC 766 Bitannia Pty Ltd v Parkline Constructions Pty Ltd [2009] NSWCA 32 Currabubula Holdings Pty Ltd v State Bank of New South Wales [2000] NSWSC 232 Douglas v John Fairfax & Sons Ltd (1983) 3 NSWLR 126 Edwards Madigan Torzillo Briggs Pty Ltd v Stack [2003] NSWCA 302 Fordyce v Fordham (2006) 67 NSWLR 497; [2006] NSWCA 274 Gogo v Attorney-General (Cth) [2022] FCA 70 Hutchinson v Nominal Defendant [1972] 1 NSWLR 443 In the matter of Cartwright Transport Pty Ltd (in liquidation) (No 2) [2019] NSWSC 1381 In the matter of Sunnyside Bettoni Pty Ltd (No 2) [2020] NSWSC 1886 Johnson v Mackinnon (No 2) [2022] NSWCA 22 Kekatos Lawyers Pty Ltd v Rahme [2023] NSWSC 528 Latoudis v Casey (1990) 170 CLR 534; [1990] HCA 59 Majak v Rose (No 5) [2017] NSWCA 238 Nichols v NFS Agribusiness Pty Ltd (2018) 97 NSWLR 681; [2018] NSWCA 84 One.Tel Ltd v Deputy Commissioner of Taxation (2000) 101 FCR 548; [2000] FCA 270 Oshlack v Richmond River Council (1998) 193 CLR 72; [1998] HCA 11 Price v Price [2020] NSWCA 312 Rahme v Benjamin & Khoury Pty Ltd (2019) 100 NSWLR 550; [2019] NSWCA 211 Rahme v Benjamin & Khoury Pty Ltd (No 2) [2019] NSWCA 239 Rahme v Satouris [2018] NSWSC 1753 Re Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs; ex parte Lai Qin (1997) 186 CLR 622; [1997] HCA 6 Shellharbour City Council v Minister for Local Government [2017] NSWCA 256 Tomra Collection Pty Ltd v Minto [2021] NSWSC 1323 Waterhouse v Independent Commission Against Corruption (No 2) [2015] NSWCA 362 Wentworth v Rogers (2006) 66 NSWLR 474; [2006] NSWCA 145 Category: Costs Parties: Benjamin & Khoury Pty Ltd (plaintiff) Dana Rahme (first defendant) John Sharpe (second defendant) Greg Walsh (third defendant) Representation: Counsel: T Robertson SC with M Castle (plaintiff) CJ Bevan with A Kaylinger (first defendant)