THE LOCAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY OF THE BAHA'IS OF PARRAMATTA LTD & ANOR v Babak HAGHIGHAT [2004] NSWCA 21

Reported Decision : (2004) Aust Torts Reports 81-729

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : THE LOCAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY OF THE BAHA'IS OF PARRAMATTA LTD & ANOR v Babak HAGHIGHAT [2004] NSWCA 21 HEARING DATE(S) : 12 June 2003 JUDGMENT DATE : 19 February 2004

JUDGMENT OF : Mason P at 1; Tobias JA at 83; McColl JA at 84 DECISION : Appeal upheld.

CATCHWORDS : NEGLIGENCE - duty of care - custodial analogy - exceptional duty of care - breach of duty - causation - whether conduct materially contributed to respondent's injury - whether increasing risk of injury unreasonable - whether serious danger foreseeable or avoidable - relevance of religious and moral opinions (D) PARTIES : THE LOCAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY OF THE BAHAI'S OF PARRAMATTA LTD & ANOR v Babak HAGHIGHAT FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 40633/2002 COUNSEL : Appellant: J D Hislop QC/ D Wilson Respondent: M J Cranitch SC/ D Andrews SOLICITORS : Appellant: Henry Davis York Respondent: Rishworth Dodd

LOWER COURT District Court JURISDICTION : LOWER COURT DC 7606/2001 FILE NUMBER(S) : LOWER COURT Phegan DCJ JUDICIAL OFFICER :

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF NEW SOUTH WALES COURT OF APPEAL CA 40633/02

MASON P TOBIAS JA McCOLL JA

Thursday 19 February 2004

LOCAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY OF THE BAHA'IS OF PARRAMATTA LTD & Anor v Babak HAGHIGAT

BACKGROUND This was an appeal from the decision of Phegan DCJ at first instance who awarded substantial damages to the respondent based on a finding of negligence made against two representatives of the Local Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is at Parramatta.