Abriel & Ors v Levitt [2003] NSWSC 1235

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Abriel & Ors v Levitt [2003] NSWSC 1235 HEARING DATE(S) : 16 December 2003 JUDGMENT DATE : 19 December 2003

JUDGMENT OF : Gzell J DECISION : Proceedings dismissed with costs

CATCHWORDS : PROCEDURE - Summary Termination - Principles involved - Re-litigation of issues as abuse of process - Principles involved - Earlier unsuccessful litigation to set aside a settlement on grounds of wrongful inducement by counsel - Whether current proceedings against instructing solicitor for acting in concert sustainable LEGISLATION CITED : Supreme Court Rules 1970 Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth) Dey v Victorian Railways Commissioners (1948-1949) 78 CLR 62 General Steel Industries Inc v Commissioner for Railways (NSW) (1964) 112 CLR 125 Penthouse Publications Ltd v McWilliam (unreported, 14 March 1991, NSWCA) Mutual Life & Citizens Assurance Co Ltd v Evatt (1970) 122 CLR 628 Walton v Gardiner (1992-1993) 177 CLR 378 Reichel v Magrath (1889) 14 App Cas 665 CASES CITED : Connelly v Director of Public Prosecutions [1964] AC 1254 Hunter v Chief Constable of the West Midlands Police [1982] AC 529 Rippon v Chilcotin Pty Ltd (2001) 53 NSWLR 198 Port of Melbourne Authority v Anshun Pty Ltd (1981) 147 CLR 589 Trawl Industries of Australia Pty Ltd (in liq) v Effem Foods Pty Ltd (1992) 36 FCR 406 Haines v Australian Broadcasting Corporation (1995) 43 NSWLR 404 State Bank of New South Wales Ltd v Stenhouse Ltd (1997) Aust Torts Reports 81-423 Abriel v Australian Guarantee Corporation Ltd [2000] FCA 1198 Rudolf Abriel (1st Plaintiff) PARTIES : Vera Abriel (2nd Plaintiff) Premier Knits Pty Ltd (3rd Plaintiff) Stewart Levitt (Defendant) FILE NUMBER(S) : SC 20056/03 COUNSEL : R Abriel (In person) SJ Burchett (Defendant) SOLICITORS : Levitt Robinson Solicitors & Attorneys (Defendant)