Nominal Defendant v Manning [2000] NSWCA 80

Reported Decision : 50 NSWLR 139

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : Nominal Defendant v Manning [2000] NSWCA 80 revised - 28/08/2000 FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 41054/98; DC 6662/98 HEARING DATE(S) : 27.03.2000 JUDGMENT DATE : 28 August 2000

PARTIES : The Nominal Defendant v Phillip Richard Manning JUDGMENT OF : Mason P at 1; Heydon JA at 43; Foster AJA at 74

LOWER COURT JURISDICTION : District Court LOWER COURT 6662/98 FILE NUMBER(S) : LOWER COURT Williams DCJ JUDICIAL OFFICER :

COUNSEL : A Ashburner for the appellant J Hislop QC with P Stitz for the respondent SOLICITORS : Ferguson Holz for the appellant J P Grogan & Co for the respondent CATCHWORDS : Interlocutory orders - commencing action out of time - s52(4) Motor Accidents Act - discretion to admit and consider evidence on second interlocutory application - no general rule precluding an unsuccessful applicant for interlocutory orders from repeating the application without fresh evidence - abuse of process - whether it is fair and just that time for bringing an action be extended - after delay significant prejudice not accruing to appellant in respect of liability and damages - whether solicitor's mistakes act as bar to client obtaining extension of time - hearing on the merits - s75A(8) Supreme Court Act - D s 52(4) of Motor Accidents Act as applied in 1989 s 23A of the Limitation of Actions Act 1958 (Vic) LEGISLATION CITED : s 60E (1)(b) of the Limitation Act 1969 s 75A subs7-9 Supreme Court Act 1970 Judiciary Act, 1903 (Cth) Brimaud v Honeysett Instant Print Pty Limited unreported, 19 September 1988, McLelland CJ in Eq., Supreme Court of New South Wales. Brisbane South Regional Health Authority v Taylor (1996-1997) 186 CLR 541 D A Christie Pty Ltd v Baker [1996] 2 VR 582 CASES CITED: Hall v Nominal Defendant (1966) 17 CLR 423 Martin v Abbott Australasia Pty Ltd [1981] 2 NSWLR 430 Salido v Nominal Defendant (1993) 32 NSWLR 524 Sydney City Council v Zegarac (1998) 43 NSWLR 195 Wickstead v Browne (1992) 30 NSWLR 1 DECISION : Appeal dismissed with costs.