Cronin v Norris [2010] NSWSC 434

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Cronin v Norris [2010] NSWSC 434

HEARING DATE(S) : 29 April 2010 JURISDICTION : Equity

JUDGMENT OF : Ward J

EX TEMPORE JUDGMENT DATE : 29 April 2010

DECISION : Order the plaintiffs to pay 50% of the defendant's costs

CATCHWORDS : PRACTICE and PROCEDURE - preliminary discovery - consideration of requirements for preliminary discovery under Part 5.3 of Uniform Civil Procedure Rules - consideration of discretionary factors - order made for limited preliminary discovery - COSTS - order that plaintiffs pay 50% of defendant's costs where plaintiffs only partially successful and costs of application may have been unnecessary had a more reasonable stance been adopted by plaintiffs in responding to defendant's inquiries

LEGISLATION CITED : Federal Court Rules (Cth) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW)

Alphapharm Pty Ltd v Eli Lilly Australia Pty Ltd [1996] FCA 391 Black v Sumitomo Corpn [2001] EWCA Civ 1819; [2002] 1 WLR 1562 Glencore International AG v Selwyn Mines Limited [2005] FCA 801 Hall v The Nominal Defendant (1966) 117 CLR 423; (1966) ALR 705 CASES CITED : Hatfield v TCN Channel Nine Pty Ltd [2010] NSWCA 69 Ian Edward Morton and 5 Ors v Nylex Ltd and 1 Or [2007] NSWSC 562 Malouf v Malouf [1999] FCA 284; (1999) 86 FCR 134; (1999) 167 ALR 383 Panasonic Australia Ltd v Ngage Pty Ltd [2006] NSWSC 399; (2006) 69 IPR 595 Steffen v ANZ Banking Group [2009] NSWSC 666

PARTIES : John Patrick Cronin & Timothy James Marshall & Steven James Norris t/as Cronin & Norris (Plaintiffs) Greg Norris t/as Greg Norris and Associates (Defendant)