BEALE v MEEHAN & ORS [2000] NSWSC 282

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : BEALE v MEEHAN & ORS [2000] NSWSC 282 CURRENT JURISDICTION: Civil FILE NUMBER(S) : SC 20582/96 HEARING DATE(S) : 19 April 1999, 20 April 1999, 21 April 1999, 22 April 1999, 27 April 1999 JUDGMENT DATE : 11 April 2000

Esme Kathryn Beale (Plaintiff) PARTIES : John Patrick Meehan & Paul Francis Meehan t/as Meehans (First Defendants) John L Carr (Second Defendant) Caltex Australia Petroleum Pty Ltd (formerly Ampol Limited) (Third & Fourth Cross-Defendant) JUDGMENT OF : Adams J at 1

Mr P H Greenwood SC (2nd Cross Defendant/4th Cross- Claimant) COUNSEL : Ms N Abadee (2nd Defendant/3rd Cross-Claimant) Mr M L Williams (Cross Defendant to 3rd & 4th Cross-Claimants) Firths (Plaintiff) SOLICITORS : Minter Ellison (First Defendants) Corrs Chambers Westgarth (Second Defendant) Middletons Moore & Bevins (Cross-Defendant to the Third & Fourth Cross-Claimants) CATCHWORDS : Negligence - misrepresentation - duty of care - foreseeability - solicitor seeking to identify defendant - supervening negligence by solicitor and counsel - expiration of limitation period - causation - deceptive and misleading conduct - s 52 Trade Practices Act 1974 - causation - ambiguous representation - causation - relevance of conduct of person affected by conduct Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1946 LEGISLATION CITED : Limitation Act 1969 Trade Practices Act 1974 MLC v Evatt (1968) 122 CLR 556 Shaddock & Associates Pty Ltd v Parramatta City Council [No 1] (1981) 150 CLR 225 San Sebastian Pty Ltd v The Minister (1986) CLR 341 Jaensch v Coffey (1984-1985) 155 CLR 549 MLC v Evatt (1970) 122 628; [1971] AC 793 Esanda Finance Corporation Pty Limited v Peat Marwick Hungerfords (1995-1997) 188 CLR 241 The Commonwealth v McLean (1996) 41 NSWLR 389 Chapman v Hearse (1961) 106 CLR 112 Mahony v J Kruschich (Demolitions) Pty Ltd (1985) 156 CLR 522 March v Stramere (E & H) Pty Ltd (1990-1991) 171 CLR 507 Concrete Constructions (NSW) Pty Limited v Nelson (1990) 169 CLR 594 CASES CITED : Menhaden Pty Ltd v Citibank NA (1984) 1 FCER 542 Parkdale Custombuilt Furniture Pty Ltd v Puxu Pty Ltd (1981-1982) 149 CLR 191 Argy & Anor v Blunts & Lane Cove Real Estate Pty Limited & Ors (1990) 26 FCR 112 Neilson & Hempston Holdings Pty Ltd (1986) ATPR 40-686 Tefbao v Stannic Securities (1993) 118 ALR 565 Commonwealth Bank of Australia v Mehta (1991) NSWLR 84 Demagogue Pty Ltd v Ramensky (1992) 39 FCR 31 Winterton Consructions Pty Ltd v Hambros (1993) 39 FCR 97 Rhone-Poulenc Agrochimie SA v UIM Chemical Services Pty Ltd (1986) 12 FCR 477 Inderby Pty Ltd & Anor v Quinert (1995) ATPR (Digest) para 46-141 Elders Trustee v Reeves [1987] 78 ALR 193 Hill & Anor v Tooth & Co Ltd & Ors (1998) ATPR para 41-649 DECISION : Verdict for the third and fourth cross defendant