NSW Caselaw
Reported Decision : 51 NSWLR 302 (2000) Aust Torts Reports 81-589
New South Wales Court of Appeal
CITATION : Scarcella v Lettice [2000] NSWCA 289 FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 40685/98 HEARING DATE(S) : 29 May 2000 JUDGMENT DATE : 1 November 2000
Peter J Scarcella PARTIES : v Frederick Michael Lettice and Evelyne Marie Lettice JUDGMENT OF : Handley JA at 1; Powell JA at 36; Giles JA at 40
LOWER COURT JURISDICTION : Supreme Court - Common Law Division LOWER COURT 20667/94 FILE NUMBER(S) : LOWER COURT Ireland J JUDICIAL OFFICER :
COUNSEL : S D Rares SC/M Dempsey (Appellant) P H Greenwood SC/T J Boyd (Respondent) SOLICITORS : Mallesons Stephen Jaques (Appellant) Caldwell Martin & Cox (Respondent) CATCHWORDS : NEGLIGENCE - professional negligence - solicitor failed to discover defect in title - respondents relied on negligent advice in purchasing property - LIMITATION OF ACTIONS - whether cause of action in tort complete when damage suffered at time of purchase or upon discovery of defect in title - defect in title would have been revealed by normal conveyancing procedures - time ran from completion of purchase - not from discovery of loss - Limitation Act 1969 (NSW) LEGISLATION CITED : Limitation Act 1969 (NSW) Wardley Australia Ltd v Western Australia (1992) 175 CLR 514 Cartledge v E Jopling & Sons Ltd [1963] AC 758 Hawkins v Clayton (1988) 164 CLR 539 Sutherland Shire Council v Heyman (1985) 157 CLR 424 Murphy v Brentwood District Council [1991] 1 AC 398 Bryan v Maloney (1995) 182 CLR 609 Invercargill City Council v Hamlin [1996] AC 624 Christopoulos v Angelos (1996) 41 NSWLR 700 CASES CITED: Registrar-General v Cleaver (1996) 41 NSWLR 713 Gibbs v Guild (1882) 9 QBD 59 Lynn v Bamber [1930] 2 KB 72 Short v M'Carthy (1820) 3 B & Ald 626 [106 ER 789] Gibbs v Guild (1881) 8 QBD 296 Howell v Young (1826) 5 B & C 259 [108 ER 97] Grainger v George (1826) 5 B & C 149 [108 ER 56] Thomson v Lord Clanmorris [1900] 1 Ch 718 CA Sampson v Zucker (C/A 11/12/96 unrep) DECISION : Appeal allowed with costs - orders made
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