Vumbaca v Sultana [2012] NSWDC 237

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Vumbaca v Sultana [2012] NSWDC 237 Hearing dates: 11 and 14 December 2012 Decision date: 14 December 2012 Jurisdiction: Civil Before: Gibson DCJ Decision: (1) Summons dismissed. (2) Plaintiff pay defendant's costs. (3) Liberty to restore in relation to costs. (4) Exhibits retained for 28 days. Catchwords: COSTS ASSESSMENT - appeal from Costs Review Panel's dismissal of appeal from Costs Assessor of party/party costs payable pursuant to court orders - nature of costs assessment and appeal process - whether errors asserted to have been made were errors of law - jurisdiction of District Court - appeal dismissed Legislation Cited: Legal Profession Act 2004 (NSW), ss 384 and 385 Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW), s 69 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), rr 33.4 and 42.7 Cases Cited: AON Risk Services Australia Ltd v Australian National University (2009) 239 CLR 175; (2009) 258 ALR 14; (2009) 83 ALJR 951; [2009] HCA 27 Attorney-General of New South Wales v Kennedy Miller Television Pty Ltd (1998) 43 NSWLR 729 Bellevarde Constructions Pty Ltd v CPC Energy Pty Ltd (2011) 12 DCLR (NSW) 304; [2011] NSWDC 55 Challen v Paul O'Halloran & Associates [2008] WASC 169 Crooke v David Crooke Pty Ltd (Supreme Court of NSW, Master Malpass, 12 April 1996) CSR Ltd v Eddy (2008) 70 NSWLR 725; [2008] NSWCA 83 Davis v Dysart (Earl) (No 2) (1855) 21 Beav 124; (1855) 52 ER 805 Dayeian v Davidson (2010) 76 NSWLR 512; [2010] NSWCA 42 Edyp v Brazbuild Pty Ltd [2011] NSWCA 218 Florence Investments Pty Ltd v HG Slater & Co [1975] 2 NSWLR 398 Frumar v the Owners of Strata Plan 36957 (2006) 67 NSWLR 321; [2006] NSWCA 278 Gorczynski v AWM Dickinson and Son [2005] NSWSC 277 Honest Remark Pty Ltd v Allstate Explorations NL [2008] NSWSC 439 Howard & Ors v Mechtler & Ors [2000] NSWSC 455 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298 Kostas v HIA Insurance Services Pty Ltd t/as Home Owners Warranty (2010) 241 CLR 390; (2010) 270 ALR 228; (2010) 84 ALJR 663; [2010] HCA 32 Larsen v Vile [1999] NSWCA 397 Levy v Bergseng [2008] NSWSC 294 Marsden v Amalgamated Television Services Pty Ltd [2001] NSWSC 510 Moon v Woodward [1991] TASSC 35 Obieta v Consumer, Trader and Tenancy Tribunal (NSW) [2009] NSWCA 220 Peter Breese & Associates Pty Ltd v CCI Holdings Ltd (2004) 2 DCLR (NSW) 157 Re Bauhaus Pyrmont Pty Ltd (2006) 67 NSWLR 289; [2006] NSWSC 879 Skalkos v Assaf [2002] NSWSC 1221 Strangas & Son Building Contractors Pty Ltd v Lim (2012) 14 DCLR (NSW) 222; [2012] NSWDC 72 Turner v Pride [1999] NSWSC 850 Wentworth v Rogers (2006) 66 NSWLR 474; [2006] NSWCA 145 Woodward v Moon [1991] Tas R 93 Yazbeck v Abreu (2010) 11 DCLR (NSW) 43; [2010] NSWDC 113 Texts Cited: G. E. Dal Pont, Law of Costs (2nd ed, LexisNexis Butterworths, 2009) M Wilson, "How to deal with bills under the new legal costs regime", (2006) 44(9) Law Society Journal 32 Ritchie's Uniform Civil Procedure (LexisNexis) S Pattison, "Does a lump sum bill act as an estoppel?", September 1999, 37 Law Society Journal 31 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Plaintiff: Aldo Vumbaca Defendant: Antoinette Sultana Representation: Plaintiff: Mr R Sweet Defendant: Ms M Castle Plaintiff: Russo & Partners Defendant: Turner Freeman Lawyers File Number(s): 2012/218606 Publication restriction: None