GOJKOVIC & ANOR v TAYLOR & ANOR [2002] NSWCA 106

Reported Decision : (2002) Aust Torts Reports 81-661

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : GOJKOVIC & ANOR v TAYLOR & ANOR [2002] NSWCA 106 FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 40311/01 HEARING DATE(S) : 18 March 2002 JUDGMENT DATE : 19 April 2002

PARTIES : BOGDAN GOJKOVIC & ANOR v MICHAEL TAYLOR & ORS (t/as Watson Stafford) JUDGMENT OF : Mason P at 1; Handley JA at 94; Sheller JA at 95

LOWER COURT JURISDICTION : District Court LOWER COURT DC 608/98 FILE NUMBER(S) : LOWER COURT Phelan DCJ JUDICIAL OFFICER :

COUNSEL : Appellant: P Le G Brereton SC/ M M Hilbery Respondent: D L Davies SC SOLICITORS : Appellant: Autore & Associates, Wollongong Respondent: Watkins Tapsell, Kirrawee CATCHWORDS : NEGLIGENCE - professional negligence - whether solicitor adequately advised mortgagors of risks associated with giving a mortgage and the potential consequences of entering the transaction - whether trial judge erred in accepting the credibility of the solicitor's evidence - whether the evidence established that a party lied under oath at trial - whether it was open to the trial judge to find evidence was false - to what extent a finding of perjury can affect other findings of credibility. (ND) CASES CITED: Beneficial Finance Corporation Ltd v Karavas (1991) 23 NSWLR 256; Abalos v Australian Postal Commission (1990) 171 CLR 167; Devries v Australian National Railways Commission (1993) 177 CLR 472; Rosenburg v Percival (2001) 75 ALJR 73. DECISION : Appeal dismissed with costs.

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF NEW SOUTH WALES COURT OF APPEAL CA 40311 of 2001 DC 608 of 1998 (Wollongong)