David Stewart Briggs v Michael Reid & Another [2000] NSWSC 496

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : David Stewart Briggs v Michael Reid & Another [2000] NSWSC 496 CURRENT JURISDICTION: Common Law Division FILE NUMBER(S) : SC 20053/99 HEARING DATE(S) : 26 May 2000 JUDGMENT DATE : 6 June 2000

Plaintiff - David Stewart Briggs PARTIES : First Defendant - Michael Reed Second Defendant - The State of New South Wales JUDGMENT OF : Bell J at 1

COUNSEL : Plaintiff - Mr D. A. Caspersonn Defendants - Mr M. G. Lynch SOLICITORS : Plaintiff - R. J. O'Halloran & Co. CATCHWORDS : DEFAMATION - Imputations - Objection as to form - Capacity of matter complained of to carry imputations pleaded Monte v Mirror Newspapers Ltd [1979] 2 NSWLR 663 Whelan v John Fairfax and Sons Ltd (1988) 12 NSWLR 148 Amalgamated Television Services Pty Ltd v Marsden (1998) 43 NSWLR 158 CASES CITED : Jones v Skelton (1963) 63 SR (NSW) 644 Slatyer v Daily Telegraph Newspaper Co Limited (1908) 6 CLR 1 Farquhar v Bottom [1980] 2 NSWLR 380 Drummoyne Municipal Council v ABC (1990) 21 NSWLR 135 DECISION : (i) Imputations 4(a) and 6(a) are struck out; (ii) The plaintiff is granted leave to replead imputations 4(a) and 6(a); (iii) Imputations 4(b) and 6(b) are struck out; (iv) The plaintiff is granted leave to replead imputations 4(b) and 6(b); (v) The matter is stood over to the defamation list on 7 July 2000 for further directions; (vi) The plaintiff to pay the defendants' costs of the application as agreed or assessed

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF NEW SOUTH WALES COMMON LAW DIVISION DEFAMATION LIST