James v Royal Bank of Scotland; McKeith v Royal Bank of Scotland (No.2) [2015] NSWSC 970

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: James v Royal Bank of Scotland; McKeith v Royal Bank of Scotland (No.2) [2015] NSWSC 970 Hearing dates: On the papers Decision date: 22 July 2015 Jurisdiction: Equity Division - Commercial List Before: McDougall J Decision: See at [182], [183]. Catchwords: COSTS – varied success – where one plaintiff succeeded and one failed against a common defendant – consequence that defendant was successful in one action and unsuccessful in the other – whether common costs of plaintiffs recoverable in full by successful plaintiff, or only a proportion – whether common costs of defendants payable in full by unsuccessful plaintiff, or only a proportion – application of the 'rule of thumb' – successful plaintiff's other, unsuccessful, claim – notice to admit – costs consequences of failing to admit facts later proved – assessment of costs – 'broad-brush justice' – whether appropriate to award an overall percentage of costs to plaintiff in order to minimise scope for further dispute

COSTS – unsuccessful plaintiff's abandonment of one claim – where failure of that claim was inevitable – remaining claim – where offer of compromise not accepted – assessment of both claims on the indemnity basis – carve-out for costs that would have been incurred regardless in defending successful plaintiff's claim Legislation Cited: Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) Cases Cited: Beaumont v Senior [1903] 1 KB 282 Bennette v Cohen (No 2) [2009] NSWCA 162 Chen v Chan (No 2) [2009] VSCA 233 Currabubula and Paola v State Bank of New South Wales [2000] NSWSC 232 Elite Protective Personnel Pty Ltd v Salmon (No 2) [2007] NSWCA 373 Ellingsen v Det Skandinaviske Compani [1919] 2 KB 567 Fitzpatrick v Cheal [2012] NSWSC 932 Howards Storage World Pty Ltd v Haviv Holdings Pty Ltd (2010) 182 FCR 84 Keen v Towler (1924) 41 TLR 86 King Network Group Pty Ltd v Club of the Clubs Pty Ltd (No 2) [2009] NSWCA 204 Korner v H Korner and Co Limited [1951] 1 Ch 15 Latoudis v Casey (1990) 170 CLR 534 Leichhardt Municipal Council v Green [2004] NSWCA 341 LMI Australasia Pty Ltd v Baulderstone Hornibrook Pty Ltd (No 2) [2002] NSWSC 72 Makita (Australia) Pty Ltd v Sprowles (2001) 52 NSWLR 705 Mobile Innovations Ltd v Vodafone Pacific Ltd [2003] NSWSC 423 New South Wales Insurance Ministerial Corporation v Reeve (1993) 42 NSWLR 100 Orion Pet Products Pty Ltd v Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Vic) Inc (No 2) [2002] FCA 967 Oshlack v Richmond River Council (1998) 193 CLR 72 Port Kembla Coal Terminal v Braverus Maritime Inc (No 2) (2004) 212 ALR 281 Rasch Nominees Pty Ltd v Bartholomaeus (No 3) [2013] SASC 14 Re Colquhoun (1854) 5 De G M & G 35; 43 ER 781 Sabah Yazgi v Permanent Custodians Limited (No 2) [2007] NSWCA 306 Trade Practices Commission v Nicholas Enterprises Pty Ltd (No 3) (1979) 42 FLR 213 Visscher v Teekay Shipping (Australia) Pty Ltd (No 5) [2013] FCA 28 Waterman v Gerling Australia Insurance Co Pty Ltd (No 2) [2005] NSWSC 1111 Ziliotto v Hakim [2013] NSWCA 359 Texts Cited: Dal Pont, Law of Costs (3rd ed, LexisNexis, 2013) Orkin, Law of Costs (2nd ed, Canada Law Book, 1987) Category: Costs Parties: James v RBS: Angus Gordon Charnock James (Plaintiff) Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc and others (Defendants)