Leichhardt Municipal Council v Green [2004] NSWCA 341

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : Leichhardt Municipal Council v Green [2004] NSWCA 341 HEARING DATE(S) : written submissions JUDGMENT DATE : 22 September 2004

JUDGMENT OF : Santow JA at 1; Bryson JA at 59; Stein AJA at 61 DECISION : Application for indemnity costs dismissed with costs.

CATCHWORDS : COSTS - application for indemnity costs - Calderbank letter sent by appellant prior to proceedings below offering settlement in terms "verdict in favour of the Council with each party to bear its own costs" - whether genuine offer of compromise - whether discretion to award indemnity costs should be exercised. District Court Act 1973 s148B; Pts 19A and 39A r25 LEGISLATION CITED : Legal Practitioners Act 1987 Division 6 of Pt 11 Supreme Court Act 1970 s76; Pts 22 and 52A r22 Bishop v State of NSW (Dunford J, 17 December 2000, unreported) Brodie v Singleton Shire Council; Ghantous v Hawkesbury City Council (2001) 206 CLR 512 Byrnes v Burwood Council [2002] NSWCA 343 Calderbank v Calderbank [1975] 3 All ER 333 Cutts v Head [1984] Ch 290 Colgate Palmolive v Cussons (1993) 118 ALR 248 Computer Machinery Co Ltd v Drescher [1983] 1 WLR 1379 Fountain Selected Meats (Sales) Pty Ltd v International Produce Merchants Pty Ltd (1988) 81 ALR 397 GIO General Ltd v ABB Installation & Service Pty Ltd [2000] NSWCA 118 Hillier v Sheather (1995) 36 NSWLR 414 Hobartville Stud v Union Insurance Co (1991) 25 NSWLR 358 CASES CITED : Jones v Bradley (No 2) [2003] NSWCA 258 Laguillo v Haden Engineering Pty Ltd [1978] 1 NSWLR 306 Maitland Hospital v Fisher (No 2) (1992) 27 NSWLR 721 McKerlie v State of New South Wales (No. 2) [2000] NSWSC 1159 Morgan v Johnson (1998) 44 NSWLR 578 Multicon Engineering Pty Limited v Federal Airports Corp (1996) 138 ALR 425 Oshlack v Richmond River Council (1998) 193 CLR 72 Richmond Valley Council v Standing [2002] NSWCA 359 RTA v McGuinness [2002] NSWCA 210 Singh v Singh (No 2) [2004] NSWSC 225 SMEC Testing Services Pty Ltd v Campbelltown City Council [2000] NSWCA 323 Tickell v Trifleska Pty Ltd (1991) 25 NSWLR 353 PARTIES : LEICHHARDT MUNICIPAL COUNCIL (Appellant) Kevin Anthony GREEN (Respondent) FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 40448/03 COUNSEL : K M GUILFOYLE (Appellant) P R STERNBERG (Respondent) SOLICITORS : Phillips Fox (Appellant) Elias Gates & Associates (Respondent)