El Assaad v Al Haje (No 2) [2025] NSWCA 17

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: El Assaad v Al Haje (No 2) [2025] NSWCA 17 Hearing dates: On the papers Date of orders: 20 February 2025 Decision date: 20 February 2025 Before: Ward P; Ball JA; Price AJA Decision: 1. Vary order (2) made by this Court on 20 December 2024 and in lieu thereof order that order (1) made by Elkaim AJ on 6 June 2024 be set aside and judgment be entered for Mr Al Haje in the sum of $299,340.95, such judgment to take effect from 6 June 2024. 2. Order Mr Al Haje to pay 50% of Mr El Assaad's costs of the appeal. Catchwords: COSTS – Indemnity costs – Calderbank offer – where offer made between primary judgment and appeal hearing – whether rejection of offer unreasonable – whether to include post-judgment interest in determining whether offer is less favourable – whether post-judgment interest accrues from date of primary or appeal judgment Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), ss 3, 98, 101 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), rr 36.4, 42.16, 51.49 Cases Cited: Al Haje v El Assaad [2024] NSWSC 13 Al Haje v Elassaad (No 2) [2024] NSWSC 794 Al Haje v Elassaad (No 3) [2024] NSWSC 1191 Al Haje v Elassaad [2024] NSWSC 689 Bathurst Regional Council as Trustee for the Bathurst City Council Crown Reserves Reserve Trust v Thompson (No 2) [2012] NSWCA 420 Calderbank v Calderbank [1975] 3 All ER 333 Channel Seven Sydney Pty Ltd v Mahommed (No 2) (2011) 80 NSWLR 210; [2011] NSWCA 6 Commissioner of State Revenue v Challenger Listed Investments Ltd (atf Challenger Diversified Property Trust 1) (No 2) [2011] VSCA 398 El Assaad v Al Haje [2024] NSWCA 306 Evans Shire Council v Richardson [2006] NSWCA 61 Hazeldene's Chicken Farm Pty Ltd v Victorian WorkCover Authority (No 2) (2005) 13 VR 435; [2005] VSCA 298 Hunter v Roberts (No 2) [2019] NSWCA 235 Kabic v AAI Limited t/as GIO (No 2) [2019] NSWCA 311 Lambourne v Baker (No 5) [2024] NSWCA 241 Leichhardt Municipal Council v Green [2004] NSWCA 341 Maitland Hospital v Fisher (No 2) (1992) 27 NSWLR 721 Miwa Pty Ltd v Siantan Properties Pte Ltd (No 2) [2011] NSWCA 344 Regency Media Pty Ltd v AAV Australia Pty Ltd [2009] NSWCA 368 University of Wollongong v Metwally (1985) 60 ALR 68; [1985] HCA 28 Category: Costs Parties: Mohammad El Assaad (Appellant) Wisam Al Haje (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: R Perla with DF King (Appellant) J Sheller SC with MD Algie (Respondent)