De Costi Seafoods (Franchises) Pty Limited and Anor v Wachtenheim and Anor (No 5) [2015] NSWDC 8

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: De Costi Seafoods (Franchises) Pty Limited and Anor v Wachtenheim and Anor (No 5) [2015] NSWDC 8 Hearing dates: 27 and 28 August 2014 Decision date: 10 February 2015 Jurisdiction: Civil Before: P Taylor SC DCJ Decision: (1) Dismiss paragraphs 3 and 4 of the De Costi motion except insofar as they relate to the seventh cross-defendant. (2) Otherwise dismiss the application by Mr Newell and Mr Muriniti. (3) Reserve all questions of costs. (4) Residue of the notices of motion to be listed for directions at a convenient date. Catchwords: COSTS - against barrister and solicitor - "provable facts" - "proper basis for alleging" Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005, s 98, s 99 Legal Profession Act 2004, s 345, s 347, s 348, s 349 Cases Cited: Certain Lloyd's Underwriters v Cross [2012] HCA 56; (2012) 248 CLR 378 De Costi Seafoods (Franchises) Pty Limited and Anor v Wachtenheim and Anor (No 3) [2013] NSWDC 54 De Costi Seafoods (Franchises) Pty Limited and Anor v Wachtenheim and Anor (No 4) [2014] NSWDC 70 Deputy Commissioner of Taxation v Zammitt [2014] NSWCA 104 Lemoto v Able Technical Pty Ltd (2005) 63 NSWLR 300 Project Blue Sky Inc v Australian Broadcasting Authority [1998] HCA 28; (1998) 194 CLR 355 Category: Procedural and other rulings Parties: De Costi Seafoods (Franchises) Pty Limited (ACN 103 324 812) (first plaintiff/first cross-defendant/applicant on notice of motion filed 5 August 2013) De Costi Seafoods (Holdings) Pty Limited (ACN 064 186 410) (second plaintiff/fifth cross-defendant/applicant on notice of motion filed 5 August 2013) Serge Wachtenheim (first defendant/first cross-claimant/first respondent to Ms Thomson's notice of motion) Deist Safety Equipment Australia Pty Ltd (ACN 081 763 877) (second defendant/second cross-claimant/second respondent to Ms Thomson's notice of motion) Frank Theodore (second cross-defendant) George Costi (fourth cross-defendant/applicant on notice of motion filed 5 August 2013) Androulla Costi (seventh cross-defendant/applicant on notice of motion filed 5 August 2013) Leonardo Muriniti (respondent to De Costi's notice of motion/third respondent to Ms Thomson's notice of motion) Robert Newell (respondent to De Costi's notice of motion/fourth respondent to Ms Thomson's notice of motion) Louise Thomson, Trustee of the Bankrupt Estate of Barry David Shnider, the Sixth Cross Defendant (applicant on notice of motion filed 14 October 2013) Representation: Counsel: Mr S J Stanton with Mr M B Holmes (plaintiffs/first, second, fourth, fifth and seventh cross-defendants/applicants on notice of motion filed 5 August 2013) Mr D A Lloyd (Leonardo Muriniti) Mr J Simpkins SC with Mr H Pintos-Lopez (Robert Newell) Mr P Doyle Gray (Louise Thomson, Trustee of the Bankrupt Estate of Barry David Shnider, the Sixth Cross Defendant)