Saltalamacchia v Zamagias [2024] NSWCA 184

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Saltalamacchia v Zamagias [2024] NSWCA 184 Hearing dates: 01 July 2024 Decision date: 01 August 2024 Before: Payne and Kirk JJA at [1]; Price AJA at [7] Decision: (1) Appeal allowed. (2) The orders of Ainslie-Wallace ADCJ in the District Court of NSW on 13 December 2023 are set aside. (3) The matter be remitted to the District Court for a retrial on liability only before another judge to be allocated by the Chief Judge of the District Court. (4) Order that the respondent pay the appellant's costs of the appeal. Catchwords: APPEALS – motor vehicle accident – whether primary judge erred in rejecting appellant's evidence – whether factual error involved a finding contrary to incontrovertible facts – whether the matter should be remitted for retrial in the District Court Legislation Cited: Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW), s 75A Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), r 51.53 Cases Cited: Fox v Percy (2003) 214 CLR 118; [2003] HCA 22 Gerlach v Clifton Bricks Pty Ltd (2002) 209 CLR 478; [2002] HCA 22 Lee v Lee (2019) 266 CLR 129; [2019] HCA 28 Lichaa v Boutros [2021] NSWCA 322 Mastronardi v State of New South Wales [2007] NSWCA 54 Palmer v Clarke (1989) 19 NSWLR 158 Warren v Coombes (1979) 142 CLR 531; [1979] HCA 9 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Antoinette Marie Saltalamacchia (appellant) Billy Zamagias (respondent) Representation: Counsel: Mr D O'Dowd (appellant) Mr B Dooley SC with Mr C Hickey (respondent)