First Capital Partners v Sylvatech [2004] NSWSC 846

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : First Capital Partners v Sylvatech [2004] NSWSC 846 HEARING DATE(S) : 3 September 2004 JUDGMENT DATE : 3 September 2004 JURISDICTION: Equity JUDGMENT OF : Campbell J DECISION : Section 131 Evidence Act 1995 privilege not confined to settlement negotiations between parties to litigation, and continues after settlement achieved. Numerous rulings.

CATCHWORDS : EVIDENCE - facts excluded from proof - section 131 Evidence Act 1995 - whether it applies only to a dispute between parties to the present litigation - whether it continues to apply once the dispute has been resolved - EVIDENCE - client legal privilege - no question of principle - PRACTICE - subpoenas and notices to produce - masking parts of documents - construction - relevance LEGISLATION CITED : Evidence Act 1995 Evidence Act 1995 (Cth) GE Capital Corporate Finance Group Ltd v Bankers Trust Co [1995] 2 All ER 993 Glass v DeMarco [1999] FCA 482 Langford v Cleary (No 2) (1998) 8 Tas R 52 CASES CITED : Law Society of New South Wales v Bruce (1996) 40 NSWLR 77 Lawcover Pty Limited v the Commissioner of Police for New South Wales (Supreme Court of NSW 28 November 1997, unreported) Moran v Moran [No 3] [2000] NSWSC 151 National Employers' Mutual General Association Ltd v Waind & Hill [1978] 1 NSWLR 372 Rush & Tompkins Ltd v Greater London Council [1989] AC 1280 PARTIES : First Capital Partners Pty Limited - Plaintiff Sylvatech Limited - Defendant FILE NUMBER(S) : SC 3097/02 COUNSEL : S A Wells - Plaintiff C Bavin - Defendant SOLICITORS : Lazarus Tomko Lawyers - Plaintiff Hunt & Hunt - Defendant