Hegemann v Tannous & Ors [2024] NSWSC 39

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Hegemann v Tannous & Ors [2024] NSWSC 39 Hearing dates: 11 December 2023; further submissions (and evidence) filed 15 December 2023 Date of orders: 2 February 2024 Decision date: 02 February 2024 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Chen J Decision: See [77] Catchwords: CIVIL PROCEDURE – representative proceedings – settlement or discontinuance – court approval – whether the proposed settlement is fair and reasonable in the interests of group members as a whole – where approval turns on defendant's inability to satisfy judgment debt – assessment of settlement distribution scheme – where settlement figure modest compared to amounts claimed to cover legal costs and settlement administration expenses Legislation Cited: Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW) Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW) Coroners Act 2009 (NSW) Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) Court Suppression and Non-publication Orders Act 2010 (NSW) Rural Fire Regulations 2013 (NSW) Cases Cited: Darwalla Milling Co Pty Ltd v F Hoffman-La Roche Ltd (No 2) (2006) 236 ALR 322; [2006] FCA 1388 Ellis v Commonwealth of Australia (2023) 411 ALR 578; [2023] NSWSC 550 Findlay v DSHE Holdings Ltd; Mastoris v DSHE Holdings Ltd; Mastoris v Allianz Australia Insurance Ltd (2021) 150 ACSR 535; [2021] NSWSC 249 Johnston v Endeavour Energy [2016] NSWSC 1132 Ritchie v Advanced Plumbing and Drains Pty Ltd [2022] NSWSC 330 Ritchie v Insurance Australia Ltd [2022] NSWCA 278 Smith v Australian Executor Trustees Limited; Creighton v Australian Executor Trustees Limited (No. 4) [2018] NSWSC 1584 Williams v AusNet Electricity Services Pty Ltd [2017] VSC 474 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Jason Hegemann (plaintiff) Joseph Tannous (first defendant) Moussa Tannous (second defendant) Charbel Tannous (third defendant) Kwik Flo Pty Ltd (fourth defendant) Representation: Counsel: A H Edwards (plaintiff) P Wiggins (defendants)