Nu Line Construction Group Pty Ltd v Fowler (aka Grippaudo) [2012] NSWSC 816

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Nu Line Construction Group Pty Ltd v Fowler (aka Grippaudo) [2012] NSWSC 816 Hearing dates: N/A Decision date: 18 July 2012 Jurisdiction: Equity Division Before: Ward J Decision: Costs orders made Catchwords: COSTS - principles in Calderbank v Calderbank - informal offer from defendants before proceedings commenced - whether offer involved a genuine element of compromise - whether rejection of offer was unreasonable - whether the plaintiff's conduct of the proceedings warrants an indemnity order - HELD - rejection of offer by plaintiff was not unreasonable - although conduct of proceedings by plaintiff does not warrant indemnity costs orders, conduct does warrant order that plaintiff pay the defendants 85 percent of their solicitor/client costs of the proceedings Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) Cases Cited: Anderson Group Pty Ltd v Tynan Motors Pty Ltd (No 2) [2006] NSWCA 120; 67 NSWLR 706 Baulderstone Hornibrook Engineering Pty Limited v Gordian Runoff Limited (No 2) [2009] NSWCA 12 Beoco Ltd v Alfa Laval Co Ltd [1995] QB 137 Bi v Mourad [2010] NSWCA 17 British American Tobacco Australia Services Ltd v Cowell (2002) 7 VR 524 Calderbank v Calderbank [1975] 3 All ER 333; [1975] 3 WLR 586 Cat Media Pty Ltd v Allianz Australia Insurance Ltd [2006] NSWSC 790 Commonwealth v Gretton [2008] NSWCA 117 Downing v WIN Television (NSW) Pty Ltd (No 4) [2011] NSWSC 1257 Dunstan v Rickwood (No 2) [2007] NSWCA 266 Elite Protective Personnel Pty Ltd v Salmon (No 2) [2007] NSWCA 322 Evans Shire Council v Richardson (No 2) [2006] NSWCA 61 Evans of Robb Evans & Associates v European Bank Ltd (No 2) [2009] NSWCA 170 Fexuto Pty Limited v Bosnjak Holdings Pty Limited (No 3) (1998) 30 ACSR 20 Hally v Dennis (1955) 95 CLR 661 Hancock v Arnold; Dodd v Arnold (No 2) [2009] NSWCA 19 Hazeldene's Chicken Farm Pty Ltd v Victorian WorkCover Authority (No 2) [2005] VSCA 298; 13 VR 435 Herning v GWS Machinery Pty Ltd (No 2) [2005] NSWCA 375 Idoport Pty Ltd v National Australia Bank Ltd [2006] NSWSC 895 Knight v Clifton [1971] Ch 700 Latoudis v Casey [1990] HCA 59; (1990) 170 CLR 534; (1990) 97 ALR 45 Leichhardt Municipal Council v Green [2004] NSWCA 341 Maitland Hospital v Fisher (No 2) (1992) 27 NSWLR 721 MGICA (1992) Pty Limited v Kenny & Good Pty Limited [1996] 70 FCR 236 Miwa Pty Ltd v Siantan Properties Pte Ltd (No 2) [2011] NSWCA 344 Ohn v Walton (1995) 36 NSWLR 77 Oshlack v Richmond River Council [1998] HCA 11; (1998) 193 CLR 72; (1998) 152 ALR 83 Peters v Peters (1907) 7 SR (NSW) 398 Regency Media Pty Ltd v AAV Australia Pty Ltd [2009] NSWCA 368 Richards v Cornford (No 3) [2010] NSWCA 134 Rolls Royce Industrial Power (Pacific) Limited v James Hardie & Co Pty Limited [2001] NSWCA 461 Simmons v Protective Commissioner of NSW also known as NSW Trustee and Guardian [2012] NSWSC 455 SMEC Testing Services Pty Ltd v Campbelltown City Council [2000] NSWCA 323 Sydney City Council v Geftlick [2006] NSWCA 280 Texts Cited: G E Dal Pont, Law of Costs (2nd edn) Ritchie's Uniform Civil Procedure NSW Category: Costs Parties: Nu Line Construction Group Pty Ltd (Plaintiff) Peter Fowler (aka Grippaudo) (First Defendant) Gabriella Grippaudo (Second Defendant) Representation: Counsel H W M Stitt (First & Second Defendants) Solicitors Diamond Conway (Plaintiff) Hunter Lawyers (First & Second Defendants) File Number(s): 08/280834