Aldag v Eistis [2008] NSWDC 157

Reported Decision : 7 DCLR (NSW) 253

New South Wales District Court

CITATION: Aldag v Eistis [2008] NSWDC 157

HEARING DATE(S): 6 and 7 August 2008

JUDGMENT DATE: 7 August 2008

JURISDICTION: Civil

JUDGMENT OF: Gibson DCJ

1. Notice of Motion dismissed. DECISION: 2. Costs reserved. 3. Liberty to apply re costs. 4. Exhibits retained until further order.

CATCHWORDS: COSTS - personal liability of legal practitioner for costs - personal injury claim brought unsuccessfully - whether sufficient material for solicitor to reasonably believe on provable facts and a reasonably arguable view of the law that the claim had reasonable prospects of success - investigations to ascertain party's involvement - purpose of costs order against legal practitioner

Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW) LEGISLATION CITED: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), s 99 Legal Profession Act 1987 (NSW) Legal Profession Act 2004 (NSW), ss 345 and 348

Arundel Chiropractic Centre Pty Ltd v Deputy Commissioner of Taxation [2001] HCA 26; (2001) 47 ATR 1 Briginshaw v Briginshaw (1938) 60 CLR 336 Bryan v Maloney (1995) 182 CLR 609 De Sousa v Minister for Immigration (1993) 41 FCR 544 Deputy Commissioner of Taxation v Levick [1999] FCA 1580; (1999) 168 ALR 383 Eurobodalla Shire Council v Wells [2006] NSWCA 5 Flower & Hart (a firm) v White Industries (Qld) Pty Ltd [1999] FCA 773; (1999) 87 FCR 134 Fowler, Corbett and Jessop t/as Haydon Fowler Corbett Jessop v Toro Constructions Pty Ltd [2008] NSWCA 178 General Steel Industries v Commissioner for Railways (1964) 112 CLR 125 Gitsham v Suncorp Metway Insurance Ltd [2002] QCA 416 Guiney v Australand Holdings Ltd & Ors; Castlehaven Sales No 2 (trading as Castlehaven Realtors & Ors v Guiney & Ors [2008] NSWCA 44 Harley v McDonald [2001] UKPC 18; [2001] 2 AC 678 Ideal Waterproofing Pty Limited v Buildcorp Australia Pty Ltd [2006] NSWSC 155 Jones v Bartlett (2000) 205 CLR 166 Kumar v Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs [2004] FCA 18; (2004) 133 FCR 582 CASES CITED: Lemoto v Able Technical Pty Ltd [2005] NSWCA 153 Levick v Deputy Commissioner of Taxation [2000] FCA 674; (2000) 102 FCR 155 Levick v Deputy Commissioner of Taxation; cf Steindl Nominees P/L v Laghaifar [2003] QCA 157; [2003] 2 Qd R 683 Medcalf v Mardell [2002] UKHL 27; [2003] 1 AC 120 Money Tree Management Service Pty Ltd v Deputy Commissioner of Taxation (No 3) [2000] SASC 286 Myers v Elman [1940] AC 282; [1939] 4 All ER 484; (1939) 109 LJKB 105; (1939) 162 LT 113; (1939) 56 TLR 177 New South Wales Department of Housing v Hume (2007) Aust Torts Reports 81-879 Orchard v South Eastern Electricity Board [1987] QB 565; [1987] 1 All ER 95; [1987] 2 WLR 102 Tombling v Universal Bulb Co Ltd [1951] 2 TLR 289 RDCW Diamond (Pty) Limited v Da Gloria [2007] NSWSC 1325 Re Bendeich (1994) 126 ALR 643 Ridehalgh v Horsefield [1994] Ch 205 Voli v Inglewood Shire Council (1963) 110 CLR 74 White Industries (Qld) Pty Ltd v Flower & Hart (a firm) (1998) 156 ALR 169 Whyked Pty Limited v Yahoo!7 Pty Limited [2008] NSWSC 477 Woolcock Street Investments Pty Ltd v CDG Pty Ltd and Anor (2004) 216 CLR 515 Woollahra Municipal Council v Sved (1996) 40 NSWLR 101