Preston v Harbour Pacific Underwriting Management Pty Limited [2008] NSWCA 216

Appeal Outcome: Special leave application dismissed by the High Court 17 June 2009 [2009] HCASL 147

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION: Preston v Harbour Pacific Underwriting Management Pty Limited [2008] NSWCA 216

HEARING DATE(S): 19, 20 & 21 August 2008

JUDGMENT DATE: 23 October 2008

JUDGMENT OF: Beazley JA at 1; McColl JA at 2; Handley AJA

DECISION: Appeal dismissed with costs.

CATCHWORDS: NEW TRIAL – Jury – fresh evidence – application not within Supreme Court Act s 75A. - NEW TRIAL – fresh evidence – discovery of documents – appellant and some defendants failed to discover same documents – such default not ground for new trial – Commonwealth Bank of Australia v Quade distinguished – undiscovered documents not fresh evidence.

Defamation Act 1974 LEGISLATION CITED: Supreme Court Act UCPR Pt 51 r 51

Commonwealth Bank of Australia v Quade [1991] HCA 61, 178 CLR 134 Coulton v Holcombe (1986) 162 CLR 1 McDonald v McDonald [1965] HCA 45, 113 CLR 529 CASES CITED: Myers v Elman [1940] AC 282 Orr v Holmes [1948] HCA 16, 76 CLR 632 SZFDE v Minister for Immigration and Citizenship [2007] HCA 35, 232 CLR 189 Wollongong Corporation v Cowan [1955] HCA 16, 93 CLR 435

Alexander Preston - Appellant Harbour Pacific Underwriting Management P/L - 1st Respondent Terence Sean McCabe - 2nd Respondent PARTIES: Bruce Pausey - 3rd Respondent Christopher Donald Wood - 4th Respondent Michael Maher Associates P/L - 5th Respondent Michael Maher - 6th Respondent