NOMINAL DEFENDANT v HEKEIK, YOUSSEF, YOUNAN [1999] NSWCA 376

New South Wales Court of Appeal CITATION : NOMINAL DEFENDANT v HEKEIK, YOUSSEF, YOUNAN [1999] NSWCA 376 FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 40868/98; 40870/98; 40415/99 HEARING DATE(S) : 16 August 1999 JUDGMENT DATE : 25 October 1999

PARTIES : Nominal Defendant - Claimant/Appellant Rema Lilly Hekeik, Steven Youssef, Mary Younan - Opponents/Respondents JUDGMENT OF : Mason P at 1; Sheller JA at 2; Beazley JA at 45

LOWER COURT JURISDICTION : District Court 8972/95 LOWER COURT FILE NUMBER(S) : 21179/98 8918/95 LOWER COURT JUDICIAL OFFICER : Phegan DCJ

COUNSEL : C R R Hoeben SC - Claimant/Appellant S G Campbell - Opponents/Respondents SOLICITORS : Connery & Partners - Claimant/Appellant Stacks, The Law Firm - Opponents/Respondents CATCHWORDS : NEGLIGENCE - motor vehicle accident - unidentified motor vehicle - appeal on liability - whether failure of defence of fraud meant that plaintiffs' case succeeded; PRACTICE & PROCEDURE - District Court - whether application for leave to appeall was out of time - where no judgment or order on liability given Evidence Act 1995 ACTS CITED : District Court Act 1973 Supreme Court Act 1970 Purkess v Crittenden (1965) 114 CLR 164 Neat Holdings Pty Ltd v Karajan Holdings Pty Ltd (1992) 67 ALJR 170 Briginshaw v Briginshaw (1938) 60 CLR 336 CASES CITED: National Employers Mutual General Insurance Association Ltd v Manufacturers Mutual Insurance Ltd (1989) 17 NSWLR 223 Carr v Finance Corporation of Australia (No 1) (1981) 147 CLR 246 Fidelitas Shipping Co Ltd v V/O Exportchleb [1966] 1 QB 630 Bass v Permanent Trustee Company Ltd (1999) 73 ALJR 522 DECISION : 1. Leave to the claimants to appeal from the judgments and orders of Judge Phegan on 12 March 1999; 2. Appeals allowed; 3. Remit the proceedings to the District Court for a new trial limited to liability; 4. Costs of the first trial to be in the discretion of the Judge hearing the new trial; 5. Opponents and respondents to pay the claimant and appellant's costs of the applications for leave to appeal and of the appeal but to have certificates under the Suitors Fund Act 1951 if so qualified.