Prouten v Buxton (No 2) [2024] NSWDC 445

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Prouten v Buxton (No 2) [2024] NSWDC 445 Hearing dates: 12 September 2024 Date of orders: 26 September 2024 Decision date: 26 September 2024 Jurisdiction: Civil Before: Gibson DCJ Decision: (1) Pursuant to UCPR r 20.24 the report of Christopher Wall is adopted in whole as to the quantification of the defendant's costs on the ordinary basis for the costs of the proceedings. (2) Conformably with the referee's report, the plaintiff is to pay the defendant's costs of these proceedings in the sum of $178,223.50. (3) The plaintiff is to pay the report fees of Mr Wall in the sum of $3,124 as set out in his memorandum dated 9 August 2024 within seven (7) days, together with interest payable from 28 days following 9 August 2024. (4) The plaintiff is to pay the defendant's costs of this application. Catchwords: COSTS – referral of defamation trial costs issues to referee pursuant to UCPR r 20.24 – whether report should be adopted – whether costs should be awarded on the ordinary or indemnity basis – no issue of principle Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), s 98(4) Defamation Act 2005 (NSW), s 40 Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth), ss 37P(2), 54A Legal Profession Uniform Law Application Act 2014 (NSW), s 69(2) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), r 20.24 Cases Cited: A.C.N. 627 087 030 Pty Ltd t/as Yates Beaggi Lawyers v Poche [2024] NSWCA 145 Ahern v Aon Risk Services Australia Ltd (No 2) [2022] NSWCA 39 Alexander v Australian Community Pharmacy Authority (No 3) [2010] FCA 506 Attard v James Legal Pty Ltd [2010] NSWCA 311 Bellevarde Constructions Pty Ltd v CPC Energy Pty Ltd [2008] NSWCA 228 Bill Karageozis as trustee for the bankrupt estate of Siobhan Lamb v Sherman [2023] QCA 258 Charan v Nationwide News Pty Ltd (Costs Ruling) [2018] VSC 89 Chocolate Factory Apartments Pty Ltd v Westpoint Finance Pty Ltd [2005] NSWSC 784 Coshott v Prentice (No 3) [2019] FCA 1497 Crossman v Sheahan (No 2) [2016] NSWCA 351 Dasreef Pty Ltd v Hawchar (2011) 243 CLR 588 E Co (a pseudonym) v Q (a pseudonym) (No 5) [2019] NSWSC 844 Fearndale Holdings Pty Ltd (admin apptd) (recs & mgrs apptd) [2019] NSWSC 1885 Fearndale Holdings Pty Ltd (admin apptd) (recs and mgrs. appted) [2019] NSWSC 1810 Hennessy v Lynch (No. 4) [2008] NSWDC 15 Hopkins v Edwards (No 2) [2020] VSC 698 Jones v Bradley (No 2) [2003] NSWCA 258 Leichhardt Municipal Council v Green [2004] NSWCA 341 Milne v Benjafield & 3 Ors [2000] NSWSC 171 Newell; Muriniti v De Costi (2018) 97 NSWLR 398 Optivar Trading Pty Ltd v Tibra Trading Pty Ltd (2012) 203 FCR 520 Owners Corporation Strata Plan 61288 v Brookfield Multiplex Ltd [2012] NSWSC 1586 Prouten v Buxton [2024] NSWDC 182 Prygodicz v Commonwealth of Australia (No 3) [2022] FCA 826 Riva NSW Pty Ltd (ACN 113 881 815) v Mark A Fraser & Christopher P Clancy t/as Fraser Clancy Lawyers (ABN 27 526 211 743) [2014] NSWCA 455 SMEC Testing Services Pty Ltd v Campbelltown City Council [2000] NSWCA 323 Szanto v Melville (Ruling) [2011] VSC 618 Trkjula v Yahoo! Inc LLC (No 2) [2012] VSC 217 Whitehall v Oxborough [2023] NSWDC 167 Wilson v Mirus Australia Pty Ltd [2024] NSWCA 111 Zoef v Nationwide News Pty Ltd (No 2) [2017] NSWCA 2 Texts Cited: Professor G Dal Pont, Law of Costs (5th ed, 2021, LexisNexis) at [15.20] Category: Costs Parties: Sandra Prouten (Plaintiff) Buxton Anthony (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Mr J Levine (Plaintiff) Ms M Cowden (Defendant)