Bleyer v Google Inc [2014] NSWSC 897

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Bleyer v Google Inc [2014] NSWSC 897 Hearing dates: 28 November 2013, 17 December 2013 Decision date: 12 August 2014 Before: McCallum J Decision: Proceedings permanently stayed Catchwords: DEFAMATION - principle of proportionality - where plaintiff alleging publication to only three people - action raising complex issues as to whether defendant liable for publication - where plaintiff acknowledging that any judgment in his favour would not be enforceable against the defendant - whether action liable to be stayed or dismissed as an abuse of process on the grounds that the legal costs and court resources required to determine the claim will be "out of all proportion" to the interest at stake Legislation Cited: Broadcasting Services Act 1992 Civil Procedure Act 2005 Civil Procedure Rules 1998 (UK) Defamation Act 2005 Human Rights Act 1998 (UK) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 Cases Cited: A v Google New Zealand Ltd [2012] NZHC 2352 ACCC v Chen [2003] FCA 897 Barach v University of New South Wales [2011] NSWSC 431 Berezovsky v Michaels [2000] 1 WLR 1004 Bristow v Adams [2012] NSWCA 166 Bunt v Tilley [2007] 1 WLR 1243 Delta Electricity v Blue Mountains Conservation Society Inc [2010] NSWCA 263 Dow Jones v Gutnick [2002] HCA 56; (2002) 210 CLR 575 Goldsmith v Sandilands [2002] HCA 31 Google Inc v ACCC [2013] HCA 1 Grizonic v Suttor [2008] NSWSC 914 Habib v Radio 2UE Sydney Pty Ltd [2009] NSWCA 231 Jameel (Yousef) v Dow Jones & Co Inc [2005] EWCA Civ 75; [2005] QB 946 Manefield v Child Care NSW [2010] NSWSC 1420 Metropolitan International Schools Ltd v Designtechnica Corporation [2009] EWHC 1765 Morosi v Mirror Newspapers Ltd [1977] 2 NSWLR 749 New York Times v Sullivan 376 US 254 (1964) Owners Corporation - Strata Plan 61732 v TR Druce Pty Ltd [2009] NSWSC 1024 Rana v Google Australia Pty Ltd [2013] FCA 60 Tamiz v Google [2013] EWCA Civ 68 Trkulja v Google Inc (No 5) [2012] VSC 533 Urbanchich v Drummoyne Municipal Council (Supreme Court of New South Wales, Hunt J, 22 December 1988, unreported) Younan v Nationwide News Pty Ltd [2013] NSWCA 335 Category: Interlocutory applications Parties: Roland Frank Bleyer (plaintiff) Google Inc LLC (defendant) Representation: Counsel: K Smark SC, R Potter (plaintiff) B McClintock SC, M Lewis (defendant) Solicitors: Mitry Lawyers (plaintiff) Ashurst Australia (defendant) File Number(s): 2013/148151 Publication restriction: None