Simon v Condran [2013] NSWCA 388

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Simon v Condran [2013] NSWCA 388 Hearing dates: 11 November 2013 Decision date: 20 November 2013 Before: Macfarlan JA at [1]; Leeming JA at [2]; Sackville AJA at [49] Decision: Appeal dismissed, with costs. [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: PERSONAL INJURY - statutory liability for bodily injury caused by dog - plaintiff bitten by neighbour's dog when attempting to rescue her own dog on neighbour's property - whether plaintiff lawfully on property - whether defence of necessity available - plaintiff's presence on property brought about by her own negligence - plaintiff in breach of obligation to take all reasonable precautions to prevent her own dog escaping

STATUTORY INTERPRETATION - provision imposing criminal offence read with provision imposing civil liability - amendment read with statute as combined statement of will of legislature - provision authorising seizure of dog a defence to trespass to goods, not trespass to land - Companion Animals Act 1998, ss 12A, 22 and 25

TRESPASS - trespass to land - defence of necessity - exception for negligence

WORDS AND PHRASES - "lawfully" - Companion Animals Act 1998, s 25 Legislation Cited: 6 Wm IV No 4 11 Geo IV No 8 Civil Liability Act 2002 Companion Animals Act 1998 Companion Animals Amendment Act 2006 Dog Act 1966 Dog Act Amendment Act 1875 Dog (Amendment) Act 1977 Dog and Goat Act 1898 Dogs Act 1865 (Eng) Cases Cited: Commissioner of Stamps (SA) v Telegraph Investment Co Pty Ltd (1995) 184 CLR 453 Crafter v Kelly [1941] SASR 237 CTM v The Queen [2008] HCA 25; 236 CLR 440 Esso and Rigby v Chief Constable of Northamptonshire [1985] 2 All ER 985 George v Rockett (1990) 170 CLR 104 Kuru v New South Wales [2008] HCA 26; 236 CLR 1 Petroleum Co Ltd v Southport Corporation [1956] AC 218 Project Blue Sky Inc v Australian Broadcasting Authority [1998] HCA 28; 194 CLR 355 Proudman v Allen [1954] SASR 336 R v Seller [2013] NSWCCA 42 Roads and Traffic Authority of NSW v Dederer [2007] HCA 42; 234 CLR 330 Sarkis v Morrison [2013] NSWCA 281 Simpson v Bannerman (1932) 47 CLR 378 Taikato v The Queen (1996) 186 CLR 454 Texts Cited: RFV Heuston and RA Buckley, Salmond and Heuston on the Law of Torts, 21st ed (1996) Sweet & Maxwell JA La Nauze, The Making of the Australian Constitution (1972) Melbourne University Press New South Wales Law Reform Commission, Civil Liability for Animals (1970) Report No 8 WVH Rogers, Winfield and Jolowicz on Tort, 18th ed (2010) Sweet & Maxwell Category: Principal judgment Parties: Shari Leigh Simon (appellant) Deborah Anne Condran (respondent) Representation: Counsel: DR Toomey; SJ Holmes (appellant) J Guihot (respondent) Solicitors: Stacks/The Law Firm (appellant) Moray & Agnew (respondent) File Number(s): 2013/43747 Decision under appeal Jurisdiction: 9101 Citation: [2013] NSWDC 32 Date of Decision: 2013-02-06 00:00:00 Before: Neilson DCJ File Number(s): 2010/429255