King v Benecke [2014] NSWSC 957

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: King v Benecke [2014] NSWSC 957 Hearing dates: 14 March 2014 Decision date: 22 July 2014 Before: Harrison J Decision: 1. Subject to orders 2, 3 and 4 below, order Mr King to pay Mr Benecke's costs of and incidental to the proceedings on the ordinary basis. 2. Order that the costs of the motion filed on 23 August 2012 and determined on 31 August 2012 should be Mr Benecke's costs in the proceedings. 3. Order Mr Benecke to pay Mr King's costs of and incidental to Mr Benecke's proportionate liability defence. 4. Order Mr King to pay 80 percent of Mr Benecke's costs of and incidental to this application for costs. Catchwords: COSTS - professional negligence - verdict for the defendant - general rule that costs follow the event under UCPR 42.1 - whether court should order otherwise - whether order should reflect plaintiff's partial success - whether plaintiff should be awarded nominal damages Legislation Cited: Civil Liability Act 2005 Civil Procedure Act 2005 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 Cases Cited: Ambulance Service of New South Wales v Worley (No 2) [2006] NSWCA 236; (2006) 67 NSWLR 719 Australian Conservation Foundation v Forestry Commission of Tasmania (1988) 81 ALR 166 Chaina v Alvaro Homes Pty Ltd [2008] NSWCA 353 Cretazzo v Lombardi (1975) 13 SASR 4 Dodds Family Investments Pty Ltd (formerly Solartint Pty Ltd v Lane Industries Pty Ltd (1993) 26 IPR 261 Elite Protective Personnel Pty Ltd & Anor v Salmon (No2) [2007] NSWCA 373 Evans Shire Council v Richardson (No 2) [2006] NSWCA 61 Franklins Pty Ltd v Metcash Trading Ltd [2009] NSWCA 407; (2009) 76 NSWLR 603 Gold and Copper Resouces Pty Ltd v Newcrest Operations Ltd [2013] NSWSC 345 Grace v Grace (No 4) [2013] NSWSC 385 Griffith v Australian Broadcasting Corporation (No 2) [2011] NSWCA 145 Hughes v Western Australian Cricket Association (Inc) (1986) 8 ATPR 40-748 James v Surf Road Nominees Pty Ltd (No 2) [2005] NSWCA 296 Keddie v Foxall [1995] VLR 320 King v Benecke [2013] NSWSC 568 King Network Group Pty Ltd v Club of the Clubs Pty Ltd (No 2) [2009] NSWCA 204 Leichhardt Municipal Council v Green [2004] NSWCA 341 Lollis v Loulatzis (No2) [2008] VSC 35 Macquarie International Health Clinic Pty Ltd v Sydney South West Area Health Service (No 2) [2011] NSWCA 171 McLaughlin v Dungowan Manly Pty Ltd [2010] NSWSC 306 Mid-City Skin Cancer and Laser Centre v Zahedi-Anarak [2006] NSWSC 1149 Oshlack v Richmond River Council [1998] HCA 11; (1998) 193 CLR 72 Permanent Trustee Australia Limited v FAI General Insurance Co Limited (NSWSC, Hodgson CJ in Eq, 3 June 1998, unreported) Ritter v Godfrey (1920) 2 KB 4 Sabah Yazgi v Permanent Custodians Ltd (No2) [2007] NSWCA 306 State of New South Wales v Stevens [2012] NSWCA 415 Sydney Attractions Group Pty Ltd v Frederick Schulman (No 3) [2013] NSWSC 1544 Turkmani v Visalingham (No2) [2009] NSWCA 279 Waters v PC Henderson (Australia) Pty Ltd [1994] NSWCA 338; (1994) 254 ALR 328 Category: Costs Parties: George Berkeley Ewart King (Plaintiff) Ian John Benecke (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: D Williams SC with M Newton (Plaintiff) I Pike SC with J Hutton (Defendant) Solicitors: Thompson Eslick Solicitors (Plaintiff) Yeldham Price O'Brien Lusk (Defendant) File Number(s): 2009/297857 Publication restriction: Nil