EASTERN SUBURBS HARDWARE PTY LTD v LEVY [1988] NSWCA 39
NSW Caselaw
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EASTERN SUBURBS HARDWARE PTY LTD v LEVY
SUPREME COURT OF NEW SOUTH WALES COURT OF APPEAL
KirBy P, HOPE and MCHUGH JJA
27 October 1988, 27 October 1988
[1988] NSWCA 39
PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE — orders — disparity between order pronounced
and order entered — unclarity of order — desirability of providing relief to the party
affected — new orders made. JUDGMENTS AND ORDERS — disparity between
order as pronounced and order entered from Associate's note — desirability of
clarification — fresh orders made. Supreme Court Act 1970 s46. ORDERS 1. The
Court extends time within which the opponent must comply with O.5 as entered,
until Tuesday 1 November 1988 at 4 pm 2. Costs of the additional motion, costs in the
appeal.
Kirby P On 10 October 1988 there was before me, sitting alone and exercising
the power of the Court under s46 of the Supreme court Act 1970, a hard fought
motion for a stay. At the end of the orders made I pronounced the following
order: "(5) That the claimant within 14 days provide to the opponent such
information as it reasonably required concerning the assets and other relevant
information about the financial position of the claimant and of Mr and Mrs
White."
The parties interpreted that order differently. The claimant on the additional
motion today interpreted it as an obligation that the information should be
supplied within 14 days of order. The opponent to the present additional motion
interpreted it as a requirement that first he be given reasonable notice of the
information that was reasonably to be required.
The order that was finally entered by the Court was taken from the Associate's
notes. It was: "(5) The claimant must within 14 days give the opponent
reasonable information as to the assets and other relevant information as to the
position of Mr and Mrs White."
The confusion on the part of the parties and their different interpretations of the
provision are reasonable in the circumstances. The order, even in its context,
lacked clarity. As well, there was a disparity between the order finally entered, the
order as it was first formulated by me, and the order as finally pronounced by me.
The confusion has led to a failure on the part of the present opponent to comply
with the order, as entered. It is desirable to relieve the opponent of the
consequence of the breach of the order and to make plain the opponent's
obligation to supply the necessary information without further delay.
The Court will extend the time within which the present opponent must
comply with order five as entered, until Tuesday 1 November 1988 at 4 pm The
confusion having arisen out of a disparity between the order as entered and the
order as pronounced, it is appropriate, and the parties do not contest this, that the
costs incurred by reason of this additional motion should be costs in the appeal.
That is what the Court orders.
Counsel for the Claimant: P Biscoe
2 UNREPORTED JUDGMENTS
Solicitors for the Claimant: Freehill Hollingdale and Page
Counsel for the Opponent: C Barry
Solicitors for the Opponent: Heidtman and Co