AVS AUSTRALIAN VENUE SECURITY SERVICES PTY LTD v CRIMINALE [2006] NSWCA 368

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION: AVS AUSTRALIAN VENUE SECURITY SERVICES PTY LTD v CRIMINALE [2006] NSWCA 368

HEARING DATE(S): 23 October 2006

JUDGMENT DATE: 15 December 2006

JUDGMENT OF: Giles JA at 1; Tobias JA at 7; Basten JA at 8

DECISION: (1) To the extent that AVS Australian Venue Security Services Pty Ltd requires leave in relation to the matters dealt with in this judgment grant leave to appeal in matter Nos. 40249 and 40765 of 2006.; (2) Dismiss the appeals.; (3) Order AVS Australian Venue Security Services Pty Ltd to pay the costs of Ricky John Criminale of and incidental to the proceedings 40765 of 2005, 40225 of 2006 and 40249 of 2006 in this Court.

CATCHWORDS: PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – default judgment in absence of appearance by defendant – District Court Rules 1973 (NSW), Part 11 – standard directions by Registrar to file defence within 28 days – order for judgment obtained prior to expiration of that period – whether Registrar's direction gave the defendant an unqualified right that the plaintiff take no steps under Part 11 until period in the direction had expired - JURISDICTION – statutory court – District Court Act 1973 (NSW), s 159 – whether District Court had "inherent jurisdiction" to set aside judgment - APPEAL – failure of trial judge to make a finding on a ground relied on by the defendant

District Court Act 1973 (NSW), ss 4, 68A, 159 District Court Rules 1973 (NSW), O 70, r 1; Part 3 r 2; Part 10 r 1, r 4; Part 11 r 1, r 2, r 3; Part 26 r 3, r 5A; Part 31 r 12A LEGISLATION CITED: Evidence Act 1995 (NSW), ss 69, 135, 136 Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW), s 46 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), r 6.1, 6.9

Anlaby v Praetorius (1888) 20 QBD 764 Autodesk Inc v Dyason (No. 2) (1993) 176 CLR 300 Cameron v Cole (1944) 68 CLR 571 Coles v Burke (1987) 10 NSWLR 429 DJL v Central Authority (2000) 201 CLR 226 Grassby v The Queen (1989) 168 CLR 1 CASES CITED: Hoskins v van Den-Braak (1998) 43 NSWLR 290 The King v Richmond Confirming Authority; Ex parte Howitt [1921] 1 KB 248 Re Refugee Review Tribunal; Ex parte Aala (2000) 204 CLR 82 Reg v Forbes; Ex parte Bevan (1972) 127 CLR 1 Roach v B & W Steel Pty Ltd (1991) 23 NSWLR 110 Smith v Budandan Enterprises (2002) 55 NSWLR 367 Taylor v Taylor (1979) 143 CLR 1 Wentworth v Graham (unrep, 17 April 2003)