Chilvers v Snowdon [2012] NSWDC 64

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Chilvers v Snowdon [2012] NSWDC 64 Hearing dates: 16 April 2012 and 23 April 2012 (written submissions) Decision date: 24 April 2012 Jurisdiction: Civil Before: Gibson DCJ Decision: (1) The plaintiff's application for extension of time to lodge his appeal pursuant to r 51.10(2) UCPR in proceedings number 343903 of 2011 is dismissed. (2) The plaintiff's summons in proceedings number 343903 of 2011 is dismissed. (3) The plaintiff is to pay the defendant's costs of the summons in proceedings number 343903 of 2011 on a party/party basis. (4) The defendant's application for costs on an indemnity basis is refused. (5) Stay of proceedings number 20636 of 2011 (Snowdon v Chilvers and Chilvers) continued until further order. (6) Costs of the stay of proceedings number 20636 of 2011 reserved. Catchwords: LEGAL PRACTITIONERS - Costs Assessment - application for extension of time to appeal from default assessment - six-month delay by plaintiff in responding to assessment, default judgment and bankruptcy notice - whether strict application of the time limitation will or may occasion injustice - merits of grounds of appeal - availability of s 381 Legal Profession Act procedure for costs the defendant agreed were wrongly claimed - lack of merit of grounds of appeal - claim of prejudice by defendant - application for extension of time refused Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), s 56 Legal Profession Act 2004 (NSW), ss 368, 369, 381, 384 and 385 Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999 (NSW) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), r 51.10(2) Cases Cited: Agyeman-Badu v The Nominal Defendant [2012] NSWDC 35 Anthony v Chris Savage Pty Ltd [2003] NSWSC 698 Bellevarde Constructions Pty Ltd v CPC Energy Pty Ltd (2011) 12 DCLR (NSW) 304 Challen v O'Halloran [2008] WASC 169 D'Alessandro & D'Angelo (a firm) v Bouloudas (1994) 10 WAR 191 DCL Constructions Pty Ltd v Di Lizio [2007] NSWSC 653 Dunn v McCarthy QC [2007] NSWSC 1336 Gallo v Dawson (1990) 93 ALR 479 Infact Consulting Pty Ltd v Kyle House Pty Ltd [2007] NSWSC 56 Kehoe v Williams [2008] FMCA 1371 Kehoe v Williams [2008] NSWSC 807 O'Brien v Doherty [2008] NSWSC 205 Reynolds v Whittens [2002] NSWSC 155; (2002) 57 NSWLR 271 Snowdon v Chilvers [2009] NSWDC 265 Tomko v Palasty (No 2) (2007) 71 NSWLR 61 Wentworth v Rogers (2006) 66 NSWLR 474 Wynn v Blueprint Instant Printing Pty Ltd (No 2) [2011] FCA 723 Texts Cited: G E Dal Pont, Law of Costs (2nd ed, LexisNexis Butterworths, 2009) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Plaintiff: Terence Chilvers (aka Chilverton) Defendant: Leonie Snowdon Representation: Plaintiff: Mr N Allan Defendant: Mr W Ward Plaintiff: Ziman & Ziman Solicitors Defendant: Gajic & Co, Solicitors File Number(s): 2011/343903; 2011/206364 Publication restriction: None