Meredith v State of New South Wales (No.4) [2025] NSWSC 13

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Meredith v State of New South Wales (No.4) [2025] NSWSC 13 Hearing dates: 31 May 2024 Date of orders: 20 February 2025 Decision date: 20 February 2025 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Garling J Decision: (1) Paragraph 68B.3(b)(iv) of the Further Amended Statement of Claim be struck out. (2) Grant leave to the plaintiff to re plead that paragraph providing that any further pleading be filed and served within 28 days of the date of this judgment. (3) Otherwise dismiss the Notice of Motion filed 12 December 2023. (4) Defendant to pay the plaintiff's costs of the Notice of Motion filed on 12 December 2023. Catchwords: CIVIL PROCEDURE – Pleadings – Amendment – Form and content of pleading – Defects – Striking out – Tendency to cause prejudice, embarrassment or delay – Abuse of process – Exemplary damages – Whether the phrase "practice or pattern of conduct" is sufficiently specific as to clearly identify the case to be met by a defendant – Whether the absence of precision in a Statement of Claim where there is no pleading of material facts to clarify constitutes grounds to strike out a pleading or part of a pleading – No point of principle Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), s 56, pt 10 Cases Cited: Adams v Kennedy [2000] NSWCA 152; (2000) 49 NSWLR 78 Banque Commerciale SA v Akhil Holdings Ltd [1990] HCA 11; (1990) 169 CLR 279 McGuirk v University of NSW [2009] NSWSC 1424 Dare v Pulham [1982] HCA 70; (1982) 148 CLR 658 Kuddus v Chief Constable of Leicestershire Constabulary [2002] 2 AC 122 NSW v Ibbett [2006] HCA 57; (2006) 229 CLR 638 Philip Morris (Australia) Ltd v Nixon [2000] FCA 229; (2000) 170 ALR 487 Texts Cited: Not Applicable Category: Procedural rulings Parties: Raya Meredith (P) State of New South Wales (D) Representation: Counsel: K Nomchong SC / A H Edwards (P) M Hutchings / C Langford (D)