The Prothonotary of the Supreme Court of New South Wales v Farran [2003] NSWCA 372

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : The Prothonotary of the Supreme Court of New South Wales v Farran [2003] NSWCA 372 revised - 3/02/2004 HEARING DATE(S) : 12 December 2003 JUDGMENT DATE : 12 December 2003

JUDGMENT OF : Mason P at 19; Meagher JA at 20; Giles JA at 2 DECISION : The declaration as to unfitness and the order for removal from the roll should be made.

CATCHWORDS : Declarations that the opponent is guilty of professional misconduct and is unfit to remain on the roll of legal practitioners, order that he be removed from the roll. Solicitor - forged clients' signatures on mortgages - mortgaged clients' properties to obtain funds for himself - under influence of bipolar disorder - whether professional misconduct - whether now unfit to remain on the roll of legal practitioners. D Allinson v General Council of Medical Education and Examination (1894) 1 QB 750; Council of the Law Society of New South Wales v A Solicitor (2002) NSWCA 62; CASES CITED : New South Wales Bar Association v Somosi (2001) 48 ATR 562; In re a Practitioner (1984) 36 SASR 590; Prothonotary of the Supreme Court of New South Wales v Costello (1984) 3 NSWLR 201; The Prothonotary of the Supreme Court of New South Wales v Ritchard (CA, 31 July 1987, unreported). PARTIES : The Prothonotary of the Supreme Court of New South Wales - Claimant Ronald Allan Farran - Opponent FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 40841/03 L Crowley - Claimant COUNSEL : P R Collins (Solr) - Law Society of NSW No appearance for the Opponent SOLICITORS : I V Knight, Crown Solicitor - Claimant