The Council of the Shire of Muswellbrook v Lettice & Anor; The State of New South Wales v Lettice & Anor. [2000] NSWCA 359

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : The Council of the Shire of Muswellbrook v Lettice & Anor; The State of New South Wales v Lettice & Anor. [2000] NSWCA 359 FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 40172/00; 40176/00 HEARING DATE(S) : 16 November 2000 JUDGMENT DATE : 14 December 2000

PARTIES : The Council of the Shire of Muswellbrook v Jason Lettice and the State of New South Wales; The State of New South Wales v Jason Lettice and The Council of the Shire of Muswellbrook. JUDGMENT OF : Meagher JA at 1; Stein JA at 15; Heydon JA at 16

LOWER COURT JURISDICTION : Supreme Court LOWER COURT 19336/93 FILE NUMBER(S) : LOWER COURT Dowd J JUDICIAL OFFICER :

The Council of the Shire of Muswellbrook: L. King SC/M.J. Ward COUNSEL : Jason Lettice: B.J. Gross QC/T.J. Boyd The State of New South Wales: B. Donovan QC/J. Simkins. The Council of the Shire of Muswellbrook: McLachlan Chilton SOLICITORS : Jason Lettice: Carroll & O'Dea The State of New South Wales: Conway MacCallum CATCHWORDS : Negligence - fall from a bridge - causation - alleged negligent construction of bridge - issue not decided below. DECISION : In matter no 40172/00 and 40176/00 -; 1. Appeal allowed; 2. Judgment below set aside; 3. In lieu thereof, judgment for the appellant; 4. The first respondent, Jason Lettice to pay costs of the appellant in the appeal and in the trial below and to have a certificate under the Suitors Fund Act.

- 1 - THE SUPREME COURT OF NEW SOUTH WALES COURT OF APPEAL

CA 40172/00; 40176/00

MEAGHER JA STEIN JA HEYDON JA

14 December 2000 THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MUSWELLBROOK v LETTICE & ANOR; THE STATE OF NEW SOUTH WALES v LETTICE & ANOR JUDGMENT