Wilson & ors v NSW Land and Housing Corporation [2002] NSWSC 506

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Wilson & ors v NSW Land and Housing Corporation [2002] NSWSC 506 FILE NUMBER(S) : SC 20492/97 HEARING DATE(S) : 13/5/02 JUDGMENT DATE : 6 June 2002

PARTIES : Brian John Wilson & ors New South Wales Land and Housing Corporation JUDGMENT OF : O'Keefe J

COUNSEL : Mr A Hawkes - plaintiffs Mr J Atkins - defendants SOLICITORS : Pike Pike & Fenwick, Sydney - Plaintiffs Gregory Falk & Associates, Sydney - Defendants CATCHWORDS : Jury - Common law claim - Right to jury - Power to order trial without jury - Discretion - Amendment to relevant statutory provisions - Applicability of superceded provisions to existing action - Practice - Exemplary and aggravated compensatory damages - Rights of citizen against State entity - Suitability of jury to determine rights of citizen Supreme Court Act 1970 ss 85, 86, 87, 88, 89 LEGISLATION CITED : Courts Legislation Amendment (Civil Juries) Act 2001 RSC (England) Order 36 r 1 Ward v James (1966) 1 QB 275 Ford v Blurton (1922) 38 TLR 801 Pambula District Hospital v Herriman (1988) 14 NSWLR 387 CASES CITED : Taylor v Anderton (1995) 2 All ER 420 Hope v Great Western Railway Co (1937) 2 KB 130 Barnes v Hornibrook Group Ltd (1986) 12 NSWLR 185 Hennell v Ranaboldo (1963) 3 All ER 684 Sims v William Howeard & Sons Ltd (1964) 2 QB 409 DECISION : Motion dismissed; Defendant to pay plaintiffs' costs

iN THE SUPREME COURT OF NEW SOUTH WALES COMMON LAW DIVISION