Hornby v The Nominal Defendant [2007] NSWCA 222

Appeal Outcome: Matter discontinued in the High Court 18 April 2008

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION: Hornby v The Nominal Defendant [2007] NSWCA 222

HEARING DATE(S): 21 May 2007

JUDGMENT DATE: 29 August 2007

JUDGMENT OF: Mason P at 1; Hodgson JA at 2; Tobias JA at 14

DECISION: (a) Leave to appeal granted subject to the claimant filing her notice of appeal within 14 days of the date of these orders; (b) Appeal allowed; (c) Set aside the orders made by Judge Hughes on 7 July 2006; (d) Pursuant to s 60G(2) of the Limitation Act 1969, the limitation period for the cause of action pleaded by the claimant in her Statement of Claim filed in the District Court on 16 November 2005 be extended up to and including 16 November 2005; (e) The costs of the Notice of Motion filed on 28 February 2006 to be the opponent's costs in the cause; (f) The opponent to pay the costs of the summons for leave to appeal and of the appeal

CATCHWORDS: LIMITATION OF ACTIONS – Extension of period – Power of court to extend time – Whether just and reasonable to extend limitation period – Whether significant actual and/or presumptive prejudice to the defendant – Weight to be given to prejudice that arose before the expiry of the limitation date as against prejudice arising after the expiry of the limitation date - Limitation Act 1969, ss 60F, 60G(2) and 60I(1)(a).

LEGISLATION CITED: Limitation Act 1969

Barker v Wingo (1972) 407 US 514 Brisbane South Regional Health Authority v Taylor (1996) 186 CLR 541; [1996] HCA 25 Commonwealth of Australian v Shaw (2006) 66 NSWLR 325; [2006] NSWCA 209 Commonwealth of Australia v Smith [2005] NSWCA 478 Fletcher v Besser [2004] NSWCA 132 CASES CITED: Holt v Wynter (2000) 49 NSWLR 128; [2000] NSWCA 143 House v The King (1936) 55 CLR 499 Malec v JC Hutton Pty Limited (1990) 169 CLR 638 Purkess v. Crittenden (1965) 114 CLR 164 Smith v Morton (2004) 40 MVR 347; [2004] NSWCA 84. Watts v. Rake (1960) 108 CLR 158 Wayne Souer v Allianz Australia Insurance Ltd [2006] NSWCA 364