Principal Registrar of the Supreme Court of New South Wales v Joseph Assi [2004] NSWSC 1123

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Principal Registrar of the Supreme Court of New South Wales v Joseph Assi [2004] NSWSC 1123 HEARING DATE(S) : 15/11/04, 16/11/04, 17/11/04, 22/11/04 JUDGMENT DATE : 22 November 2004 JURISDICTION: Common Law Division JUDGMENT OF : Brownie AJ DECISION : Findings of contempt of court.

CATCHWORDS : Legal practitioners - no question of principle Legal Profession Act 1987 (NSW) LEGISLATION CITED : Oaths Act 1900 (NSW) Property (Relationships) Act 1984 (NSW) Victims Support and Rehabilitation Act 1996 (NSW) CASES CITED : Law Society of New South Wales v Seymour [1999] NSWCA 117 PARTIES : Principal Registrar of the Supreme Court of New South Wales (Plaintiff) Joseph Assi (Defendant) FILE NUMBER(S) : SC 10611/04 COUNSEL : Mr RD Cogswell SC, Mr APL Naylor (Plaintiff) Litigant in person (Defendant) SOLICITORS : I V Knight (Crown Solicitor) (Plaintiff)

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF NEW SOUTH WALES COMMON LAW DIVISION Brownie AJ

Monday 22 November 2004

10611/04 Principal Registrar of the Supreme Court of New South Wales v Joseph Assi JUDGMENT 1 On 14 December 1994 the defendant was admitted as a legal practitioner. On 22 April 1999 the Law Society of New South Wales cancelled his practising certificate. Since that date he has neither held nor applied for a practising certificate. On 6 December 1999 Simpson J made declarations and orders in the following terms:

(1) During the period 23 April 1999 to 23 September 1999 Joseph Assi acted as a solicitor and barrister in the state of New South Wales, without being the holder of a current practising certificate as a solicitor and barrister contrary to subsection 25(1) of the Legal Profession Act 1987;