Cong Xu v Austino Property Development Pty Ltd (No 2) [2013] NSWSC 1559

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Cong Xu v Austino Property Development Pty Ltd (No 2) [2013] NSWSC 1559 Hearing dates: On the papers Decision date: 25 October 2013 Jurisdiction: Equity Division Before: Darke J Decision: 1. The plaintiff's application for indemnity costs is refused. 2. Order the plaintiff to pay the defendant's costs of the application. Catchwords: PROCEDURE - costs - departing from the general rule - order for costs on indemnity basis - offers of compromise - Calderbank offer - whether genuine offer of compromise - whether unreasonable for defendant not to accept offer of compromise - where offer required entry of consent orders in similar terms to Statement of Claim in exchange for payment of $10,000 - offer contained minimal element of compromise - not unreasonable for defendant not to accept offer Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 ss 14, 100 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 rr 20.26, 36.16 Cases Cited: AT v Commissioner of Police (No 2) [2010] NSWCA 337 Calderbank v Calderbank [1976] Fam 93; [1975] 3 All ER 333 Colgate Palmolive Company v Cussons Pty Ltd (1993) 46 FCR 225 Cong Xu v Austino Development Pty Ltd [2013] NSWSC 1177 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 Leichhardt Municipal Council v Green [2004] NSWCA 341 Miwa Pty Ltd v Siantan Properties Pte Ltd [2011] NSWCA 344 Regency Media Pty Ltd v AAV Australia Pty Ltd [2009] NSWCA 368 Roads and Traffic Authority of NSW v Refrigerated Roadways Pty Ltd [2009] NSWCA 336 Short v Crawley (No 45) [2013] NSWSC 1541 Singh v Singh (No 2) [2004] NSWSC 225 Vieira v O'Shea (No 2) [2012] NSWCA 121 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Cong Xu (Plaintiff/Cross-Defendant) Austino Property Development Pty Ltd (Defendant/Cross-Claimant) Representation: Counsel: J Darams (Plaintiff/Cross-Defendant) E White (Defendant/Cross-Claimant) Solicitors: James Tuite & Associates Lawyers (Plaintiff/Cross-Defendant) Legal Point Lawyers (Defendant/Cross-Claimant) File Number(s): 2013/80287 Publication restriction: None