State of New South Wales v Stevens [2012] NSWCA 415

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: State of New South Wales v Stevens [2012] NSWCA 415 Hearing dates: 5 December 2012 Decision date: 12 December 2012 Before: McColl JA at [1] Ward JA at [40] Sackville AJA at [41] Decision: 1. Grant leave to appeal. 2. Direct the appellant to file the draft notice of appeal in the form it appears in the White Book within 7 days. 3. Appeal allowed in part. 4. Set aside the verdict and judgment for the plaintiff for $10,000 made by Olsson SC DCJ on 29 November 2011. 5. Order that there be a verdict and judgment for the respondent in the sum of $100.00. 6. Appellant and respondent to bear its and her costs of the application for leave to appeal and the appeal respectively. [Note: The Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 provide (Rule 36.11) that unless the Court otherwise orders, a judgment or order is taken to be entered when it is recorded in the Court's computerised court record system. Setting aside and variation of judgments or orders is dealt with by Rules 36.15, 36.16, 36.17 and 36.18. Parties should in particular note the time limit of fourteen days in Rule 36.16.] Catchwords: CONTRACT - unsuccessful claim for personal injury damages arising from breach of settlement deed - award of nominal damages instead - whether Part 2 of Civil Liability Act 2002 precludes award of nominal damages - whether primary Judge erred in determining quantum of nominal damages.

PROCEDURE - whether leave to appeal should be granted where amount in dispute is very small. Legislation Cited: Civil Liability Act 2002 Crown Proceedings Act 1988 District Court Act 1973 Cases Cited: Agricultural and Rural Finance Pty Ltd v Gardiner [2008] HCA 57; (2008) 238 CLR 570 Alltrans Express Ltd v CVA Holdings Ltd [1984] 1 WLR 394 Ashby v White [1790] EngR 55; (1703) 2 Ld Raym 938; 92 ER 126 Baume v Commonwealth [1906] HCA 92; (1906) 4 CLR 97 Be Financial Pty Ltd as Trustee for Be Financial Operations Trust v Das [2012] NSWCA 164 Beaumont v Greathead (1846) 2 CB 494; 135 ER 1039 Cassell & Co Ltd v Broome [1972] AC 1027 Chappel v Hart [1998] HCA 55; 195 CLR 232 Gore v Montague Mining Pty Ltd [2000] FCA 1214 Hanflex Pty Ltd v NS Hope & Associates [1990] 2 Qd R 218 House v R [1936] HCA 40; (1936) 55 CLR 499 Insight Vacations Pty Ltd v Young [2010] NSWCA 137; 78 NSWLR 641 Insight Vacations Pty Ltd v Young [2011] HCA 16; 243 CLR 149 Luna Park (NSW) Ltd v Tramways Advertising Pty Ltd [1938] HCA 66; 61 CLR 286 Marzetti v Williams [1830] EngR 839; (1830) 1 B & Ad 415 Mid-City Skin Cancer and Laser Centre v Zahedi-Anarak [2006] NSWSC 1149 Motium Pty Ltd v Arrow Electronics Australia Pty Ltd (Supplementary Decision) [2011] WASCA 65 Nexus Minerals NL v Brutus Constructions Pty Ltd [1997] FCA 926 Rockcote Enterprises Pty Ltd v FS Architects Pty Ltd; Carelli v FS Architects Pty Ltd [2008] NSWCA 39 State of New South Wales v Corby [2010] NSWCA 27; 76 NSWLR 439 Sykes v Midland Bank Executor and Trustee Co Ltd [1971] 1 QB 113 The Owners of The Steamship "Mediana" v The Owners, Master and Crew of The Lightship "Comet" [1900] AC 113 ("The Mediana") Thiess Contractors Pty Ltd v Placer (Granny Smith) Pty Ltd [2000] WASCA 102 Timpar Nominees Pty Ltd v Archer [2001] WASCA 430 Weld-Blundell v Stephens [1920] AC 956 Zelden v Sewell; Henamast Pty Ltd v Sewell [2011] NSWCA 56 Texts Cited: Chitty on Contracts, General Principles, 31st ed (2012) Sweet & Maxwell McGregor on Damages, 18th ed (2009) Sweet & Maxwell McGregor on Damages, 17th ed (2003) Sweet & Maxwell Mayne and McGregor on Damages, 12th ed (1961) Sweet & Maxwell McCormick, Damages, (1935) West Publishing Company Ogus, The Law of Damages, (1973) Butterworths R H Kersley, Broom's Legal Maxims, 10th ed (1939) Sweet & Maxwell Category: Principal judgment Parties: State of New South Wales (Appellant) Helen Stevens (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: V Hartstein (Appellant) J Cairn (Respondent) Solicitors: Crown Solicitor's Office (Appellant) Herbert Weller (Respondent) File Number(s): 2012/62221 Decision under appeal Date of Decision: 2011-11-29 00:00:00 Before: Olsson SC DCJ File Number(s): 2010/284809