Cumming v State of NSW [2008] NSWSC 690

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Cumming v State of NSW [2008] NSWSC 690

HEARING DATE(S) : 23 June 2008

JUDGMENT DATE : 9 July 2008

JURISDICTION : Common Law

JUDGMENT OF : Harrison AsJ

DECISION : (1) The plaintiffs' amended statement of claim filed 27 February 2008 is dismissed as against the first defendant. (2) The plaintiffs are to pay the first defendant's costs of the motion and of the proceedings as agreed or assessed.

CATCHWORDS : SUMMARY JUDGMENT - whether the Police owed a duty of care to family of missing person

Law Reform (Vicarious) Liability Act 1983 LEGISLATION CITED : Mental Health Act (Vic) 1986 Police Service Act 1990 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules

CATEGORY : Procedural and other rulings

Brooks v Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis [2005] 1 WLR 1495 Commonwealth of Australia v Griffiths & Anor [2007] NSWCA 370 Contribution Fund of Australia v Hunt (1982) 44 ALR 365 Cran v State of New South Wales (2004) 62 NSWLR 95 Dorset Yacht Co Ltd v Home Office [1970] AC 1004 Elguzouli-Daf v Commissioner of the Metropolis [1995] QB 335 Gibson v Parkes District Hospital (1991-92) 26 NSWLR 9 CASES CITED : Hill v Chief Constrable of West Yorkshire [1989] AC 53 Kirkland-Veenstra v Stuart [2008] VSCA 32 Knightly v John [1982] 1 WLR 349 Rigby v Chief Constable of Northamptonshire [1985] 1 WLR 1242 State of New South Wales v Klein [2006] NSWCA 295 State of NSW v Tyszyk [2008] NSWCA 107 Sullivan v Moody (2001) 183 ALR 404; (2001) 75 ALJR 1570 Tame v NSW (2002) 211 CLR 317 Wilson v State of New South Wales (2001) 53 NSWLR 407