Palace Films Pty Ltd v Fairfax Media Publications [2011] NSWSC 1358

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Palace Films Pty Ltd v Fairfax Media Publications [2011] NSWSC 1358 Hearing dates: 08/09/2011 Decision date: 08 September 2011 Jurisdiction: Civil Before: Garling J Decision: (1) Amended Category 10 subpoena upheld and made returnable on 12 September 2011. (2) Notice of Motion otherwise upheld and subpoenas set aside. (3) The costs of this motion will be costs in the cause of the motion to be heard before Justice McCallum on 12 September 2011. Catchwords: PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE - Defamation - Uniform Civil Procedure Rules - Rule 33.4 - Notice of motion to set aside interlocutory subpoenas - Whether subpoenas an abuse of process - No legitimate forensic issue identifying any non-plaintiff company subject to any defamatory imputation - No legitimate forensic question that plaintiff is not an excluded company without adducing evidence that such an issue exists - Subpoenas set aside except for one amended subpoena containing legitimate purpose - Costs in the cause when motion heard Legislation Cited: Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) Defamation Act 2005 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 Category: Interlocutory applications Parties: Palace Films Pty Ltd (P1) Antonio Zeccola (P2) Benjamin Zeccola (P3)

Applicants seeking orders - Balwyn Cinema Holdings Pty Ltd; Palace Enterprises Pty Ltd, Palace Cinema Management Pty Ltd; Palace Cinema Nominees Pty Ltd; Dendy Cinema Brighton (Vic) Pty Ltd

Fairfax Media Publications Pty Ltd (D1) Brian Rosen (D2) Michaela Boland (D3) Screenhub Pty Ltd (D4) John Paxinos (D5) Alexander Prior (D6) Representation: Counsel:R Rasmussen (P1 and Applicants) A Dawson (D1-D3) Solicitors: Millens Pty Ltd, Lawyers by their Sydney agents, Patterson Houen & Commins (P1-P3 and for the Applicants seeking orders) Banki Haddock Fiora (D1-D3) Kennedys (Australasia) Pty Ltd Lawyers (D4-D6) File Number(s): 2009/00297851 Publication restriction: NIL