Wilkinson v Law Courts Limited [2001] NSWCA 196

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : Wilkinson v Law Courts Limited [2001] NSWCA 196 FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 40366/00 HEARING DATE(S) : 25 June 2001 JUDGMENT DATE : 25 June 2001

PARTIES : Michael Wilkinson (Appellant) Law Courts Limited (Respondent) JUDGMENT OF : Meagher JA at 1, 37; Heydon JA at 2; Rolfe AJA at 38

LOWER COURT JURISDICTION : District Court LOWER COURT DC 3820/98 FILE NUMBER(S) : LOWER COURT Hogan ADCJ JUDICIAL OFFICER :

COUNSEL : C P Locke (Appellant) J E Maconachie QC/S M Kettle (Respondent) SOLICITORS : Velleley & Associates (Appellant) I V Knight (Respondent) CATCHWORDS : Torts - Negligence - Liability - Whether breach of duty of care - Whether occupier of public building breached duty of care to person who fell down external steps - Whether dimension of steps relevant - Where no hand-rails, edge-delineation strips, nor warning signs present - ND Jones v Bartlett (2000) 75 ALJR 1; 176 ALR 137 CASES CITED: Phillis v Daly (1988) 15 NSWLR 65 Stannus v Graham (1994) Aust Torts Reports 81-293 Taber v NSW Land and Housing Corporation [2001] NSWCA 182 DECISION : Appeal dismissed; appellant to pay the respondent's costs of the appeal.

THE SUPREME COURT

OF NEW SOUTH WALES

COURT OF APPEAL

CA 40366/00 DC 3820/98 MEAGHER JA HEYDON JA ROLFE AJA

25 June 2001

Michael WILKINSON v LAW COURTS LIMITED

Torts - Negligence - Liability - Whether breach of duty of care - Whether occupier of public building breached duty of care to person who fell down external steps - Whether dimension of steps relevant - Where no hand-rails, edge-delineation strips, nor warning signs present