Damjanovic v Sharpe Hume & Co; Damjanovic v Yorke Agencies; Damjanovic v Rosier; Damjanovic v Spehar [2001] NSWCA 407

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : Damjanovic v Sharpe Hume & Co; Damjanovic v Yorke Agencies; Damjanovic v Rosier; Damjanovic v Spehar [2001] NSWCA 407 FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 40719/00; 40720/00; 40721/00; 40722/00; 40723/00 HEARING DATE(S) : 9 October 2001, 5 November 2001 JUDGMENT DATE : 23 November 2001

Mojmir Damjanovic v Sharpe Hume & Co Mojmir Damjanovic v Yorke Agencies PARTIES : Mojmir Damjanovic v Peter William Rosier & Ors Mojmir Damjanovic v Zelka Spehar Mojmir Damjanovic v Ivan Spehar JUDGMENT OF : Mason P at 1; Sheller JA at 1; Rolfe AJA at 1

LOWER COURT JURISDICTION : District Court LOWER COURT DC2409/00; DC2410/00; DC5930/99; DC4293/00 FILE NUMBER(S) : LOWER COURT Gibb DCJ JUDICIAL OFFICER :

Appellant - In Person with Ms Vukic Assisting COUNSEL : Respondent - M J Cohen for 1st, 2nd and 3rd Respondents Zelka and Ivan Spehar in Person SOLICITORS : Appellant - In Person 1st-3rd Respondents - Sharpe Partners Legal CATCHWORDS : APPREHENDED BIAS BY REASON OF PRE-JUDGMENT AND OTHER CONDUCT - OBLIGATIONS OF THE COURT IN CONDUCTING TRIALS - CHARACTERISATION OF EVIDENCE OF LIES - COSTS LEGISLATION CITED : District Court Act 1973 Ex parte Schofield; re Austin (1953) 53 SR (NSW) 163 Reg v Watson ex parte Armstrong (1976) 136 CLR 248 Livesey v New South Wales Bar Association (1983) 151 CLR 288 Vakauta v Kelly (1989) 167 CLR 568 Australian National Industries Limited v Spedley Securities Limited (in liquidation) & Ors (1992) 26 NSWLR 411 CASES CITED: Abraham v National Australia Bank Limited (C/A 1/5/97 unrep) Webb v The Queen (1994) 181 CLR 41 Johnson v Johnson (2000) 201 CLR 488 Toner v Attorney General for New South Wales (C/A 19/11/91 unrep) Hunter v Webb (FC 19/7/86 unrep) Smith v New South Wales Bar Association (No 2) (1992) 176 CLR 256 Merrylands Bowling, Sporting & Recreation Club v P & H Property Services (2001) NSWCA 358 DECISION : (1) Set aside orders of Gibb DCJ answering separate questions, dismissing the plaintiff 's statement of claim, and ordering the plaintiff to pay the defendant's/defendants' costs and disbursements on an indemnity basis; (2) Without prejudice to any fresh application for summary dismissal, order that there be a new trial before a judge other than Gibb DCJ; (3) Respondent(s) to pay appellant's costs of the first trial and of the appeal and to have a certificate under the Suitors Fund Act