Drabsch v Switzerland General Insurance Co Ltd [1999] NSWSC 975

New South Wales Supreme Court CITATION : Drabsch v Switzerland General Insurance Co Ltd [1999] NSWSC 975 revised - 26/06/2000 CURRENT JURISDICTION : Equity FILE NUMBER(S) : 3008/93; 2264/93; 2323/97; 2324/97 HEARING DATE(S) : 26-27 August 1999 JUDGMENT DATE : 24 September 1999

3008/93 Neil Gregory Drabsch (P) Switzerland General Insurance Co Ltd (D1) Andrew Chua (D2) Peter Edward Lepparde (D3) Allan Robert Whitehead (D4) Michael John McErlane (XD to 3rd XC) 2264/93 Neil Gregory Drabsch (P1) Julie Ann Drabsch (P2) PARTIES : Switzerland General Insurance Co Ltd (D1) Switzerland Insurance Australia Ltd (D2) Switzerland Insurance Holdings Ltd (D3) 2323/97 & 2324/97 Michael John McErlane (P in 2323/97) Neil Gregory Drabsch (P in 2324/97) Reginald Ewart Brown (D1) Aegon Insurance Co (UK) Ltd (D2) Sirius (UK) Insurance plc (D3) Scottish Lion Insurance Co Ltd (D4) Switzerland General Insurance Co Ltd (D5) JUDGMENT OF : Hamilton J

A B Shand QC, C E Moore and P Clay (Drabsch) S Rares SC and G Nell (McErlane) COUNSEL : J E Marshall and R S Hollo (Switzerland General) P W Taylor SC & S Donaldson (Underwriters) D G Charles (Superannuation Trustees) Brock Partners (Drabsch) Levingstons (McErlane) SOLICITORS : Minter Ellison (Switzerland General) Phillips Fox (Underwriters) Clayton Utz (Superannuation Trustees) CATCHWORDS : EVIDENCE [74] - Facts Excluded from Proof - On Grounds of Privilege - Professional Confidence - Legal Profession - Documents - Proof of evidence - Copy sent to witness after execution without imposition of condition of confidentiality - Client legal privilege lost - Evidence Act 1995, ss 119, 122. ACTS CITED : Evidence Act 1995, ss 117, 119, 122. Papakosmas v The Queen [1999] HCA 37, CASES CITED : Newcastle Wallsend Coal Co Pty Ltd v Court of Coal Mines Regulation (1997) 42 NSWLR 351, Amalgamated Television Services Pty Ltd [1999] NSWCA 97. DECISION : Ruling that client legal privilege in document lost.