Curnuck v Nitschke [2001] NSWCA 176

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : Curnuck v Nitschke [2001] NSWCA 176 FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 40387/00 HEARING DATE(S) : 8 June 2001 JUDGMENT DATE : 26 June 2001

Milton Robert Curnuck (App) Alan Harold Curnuck (App) Ivan John Curnuck (App) PARTIES : Galva Dennis Nitschke (Resp) John Hayden Williams (Resp) Trevor John Forbes (Resp) Bruce Jarrat (Resp) t/as Sheekey Williams & Nitschke JUDGMENT OF : Meagher JA at 1; Davies AJA at 2; Fitzgerald AJA at 15

LOWER COURT JURISDICTION : District Court LOWER COURT 1479/99 FILE NUMBER(S) : LOWER COURT Delaney DCJ JUDICIAL OFFICER :

A. McInnes QC (App) COUNSEL : M. Stubbs (App) D. Davies QC (Resp) D. Roberts (Resp) SOLICITORS : Phillip Parbury & Associates (App) McLachlan Chilton (Resp) CATCHWORDS : Professional negligence - contract - tort - limitation period - instructions to advise and sue third party - assignment and reassignment of cause of action against third party - omission to commence action against third party or to advise of limitation period - breach of contract and tort. Bankruptcy Act 1966 LEGISLATION CITED : Limitation Act 1969 Trade Practices Act 1974 Astley v Austrust Ltd (1999) 197 CLR 1 Central Trust Co v Rafuse (1986) 31 DLR (4th) 481 Chappel v Hart (1998) 72 ALJR 1344 Hawkins v Clayton (1988) 164 CLR 539 CASES CITED: Heydon v NRMA (2000) 36 ACSR 462 Hill v Van Erp (1997) 188 CLR 159 Perre v Apand Pty Ltd (1999) 73 ALJR 1190 Rogers v Whitaker (1992) 175 CLR 479 Waimond Pty Ltd v Byrne (1989) 18 NSWLR 642 DECISION : Appeal allowed with costs. Judgment below set aside. Declare that the solicitors breached their contractual duty and their duty under the law of tort to the clients. Remit to the District Court for a different judge to determine whether the solicitor's breach caused the clients any loss. The costs of the District Court proceedings be reserved to the judge who determines the issue of damages.