Solarus Projects Pty Ltd v Vero Insurance Ltd [2013] NSWSC 328

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Solarus Projects Pty Ltd v Vero Insurance Ltd [2013] NSWSC 328 Hearing dates: 3 September 2012 Decision date: 10 April 2013 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Button J Decision: (1) The orders dismissing the defendant's notice of motion and that the defendant pay the first plaintiff's costs made by Registrar Bradford on 31 May 2012 be set aside and in their place: (a) Order that the notice to produce for inspection dated 14 March 2012 and served by the first plaintiff on the defendant be set aside; (b) Order that the subpoena to produce filed on 12 March 2012 and served by the first plaintiff on Willis Australia Limited be set aside; (c) Order that the documents produced by Willis Australia Limited pursuant to the subpoena to produce filed on 12 March 2012 be returned to Willis Australia Limited; and (d) Order that the first plaintiff pay the defendant's costs of the notice of motion dated 3 April 2012. (2) The first plaintiff pay the defendant's costs of the notice of motion filed 26 June 2012. Catchwords: PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE - review of Registrar's decision - nature of review - whether de novo or requires identification of error - whether subpoena issued as abuse of process - subpoena not issued with a predominant legitimate forensic purpose - subpoena set aside Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 Cases Cited: Alexander v Australian Community Pharmacy Authority (No. 3) [2010] FCA 506 Associated Dominions Assurance for Society Pty Ltd v John Fairfax & Sons Pty Ltd (1952) 72 WN (NSW) 250 Botany Bay Instrumentation v Stewart [1984] 3 NSWLR 98 Campaign Master (UK) Ltd v Forty Two International Pty Ltd [2010] FCA 398; (2010) 269 ALR 76 Carroll v Attorney General for New South Wales (1993) 70 A Crim R 162 Jonal Properties Pty Ltd v MS McLeod Holdings Ltd [1994] SASC 4380 ICAP Pty Ltd v Moebes [2009] NSWSC 306 Jones v Dunkel [1959] HCA 8; (1959) 101 CLR 298 National Australia Bank Ltd v Budget Stationary Supplies (1997) 217 ALR 365 R v Saleam (1989) 16 NSWLR 15 R v Saleam [1999] NSWCCA 86 Taylor v O'Neill [2012] NSWSC 626 The Commissioner for Railways v Small (1938) 38 SR (NSW) 564 Tomko v Palasty (No 2) [2007] NSWCA 369; (2007) 71 NSWLR 61 Williams v Spautz [1992] HCA 34; (1992) 174 CLR 509 Category: Interlocutory applications Parties: Solarus Projects Pty Ltd (first plaintiff) Vero Insurance Ltd (defendant) Representation: Counsel: A Leopold SC, R C A Higgins (first plaintiff) A S Martin SC, J Hynes (defendant) Solicitors: DLA Piper (first plaintiff) Carter Newell (defendant) File Number(s): 2011/154276