Atlanta Building Pty Ltd v Abela [2024] NSWSC 1193

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Atlanta Building Pty Ltd v Abela [2024] NSWSC 1193 Hearing dates: 26 July 2024, 2 and 23 August 2024 Date of orders: 20 September 2024 Decision date: 20 September 2024 Jurisdiction: Equity - Commercial List Before: McGrath J Decision: Application to set aside notice to produce dismissed (see [6] and [72]–[73]) Application for freezing orders refused against second defendant; liberty granted to the plaintiff to apply as to the form of any proposed freezing order against the first defendant (see [107]) Catchwords: CIVIL PROCEDURE — interim preservation — freezing orders — burden of proof not discharged —good arguable case against defendants — no solid evidence of risk of dissipation of assets by second defendant — evidence of a substantial diminution in value of first defendant's assets — uncertain utility of narrow form of freezing order sought against first defendant — HELD — motion dismissed with liberty to apply in respect of relief sought against first defendant CIVIL PROCEDURE — evidence — notice to produce — application to set aside — orders in Family Court proceedings sought — legitimate forensic purpose of documents — confidentiality protected by non-publication order — HELD — notice to produce motion dismissed Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), ss 56, 59 Court Suppression and Non-Publication Orders Act 2010 (NSW), s 7 Family Law Act 1975 (Cth), ss 114Q, 114S Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), rr 21.10, 21.11, 25.11, 25.12, 34.1 Cases Cited: Acquasun Pty Ltd v Coverdale Ram Pty Ltd [2000] NSWSC 1146 Azzi v Volvo [2006] NSWSC 283 Cardile v LED Builders Pty Ltd (1999) 198 CLR 380; [1999] HCA 18 Finn v Carelli [2007] NSWSC 261 Firmtech Aluminium Pty Ltd v Xie (No 2) [2022] NSWSC 1142 Frigo v Culhaci [1998] NSWCA 88 Jackson v Sterling Industries Ltd (1987) 162 CLR 612; [1987] HCA 23 KR Properties Global Pty Ltd (t/as AK Properties Group) v Kazzi [2024] NSWCA 141 Lake v Crawford (No 2) [2010] NSWSC 419 Mercedes Benz AG v Leiduck [1996] AC 284 Ninemia Maritime Corporation v Trave Schiffahrtsgesellschaft mbH & Co KG "The Niedersachsen" [1983] 1 WLR 1412; [1984] 1 All ER 398 Overdean Developments Pty Ltd v Garslev Holdings Pty Ltd (No 2) [2020] NSWSC 745 Patterson v BTR Engineering (Aust) Ltd (1989) 18 NSWLR 319 PT Bayan Resources TBK v BCBC Singapore Pte Ltd (2015) 258 CLR 1; [2015] HCA 36 Samimi v Seyedabadi [2013] NSWCA 279 Secretary of the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment v Blacktown City Council [2021] NSWCA 145 Tomasetti v Brailey [2012] NSWCA 6 Tugrul v Tarrants Financial Consultants Pty Ltd (No 5) [2014] NSWSC 437 Turner v Universal Home Loans Pty Ltd [2004] NSWSC 936 TZ Ltd v ZMS Investments Pty Ltd [2010] NSWSC 196 Texts Cited: Practice Note SC Gen 14 Category: Procedural rulings Parties: Atlanta Building Pty Ltd (Plaintiff) David Abela (First Defendant) Rebecca Amos (Second Defendant) Representation: Counsel: M Klooster and M Waters (Plaintiff) No appearance (First Defendant) A Butt (Second Defendant)