DEF v Trappett [2015] NSWSC 1840

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: DEF v Trappett [2015] NSWSC 1840 Hearing dates: 14 August 2015 Date of orders: 07 December 2015 Decision date: 07 December 2015 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Harrison AsJ Decision: The Court orders that:

(1) The third defendant's notice of motion filed 9 July 2015 is dismissed.

(2) The plaintiff is granted leave to file a second further amended statement of claim.

(3) The second further amended statement of claim is to be filed and served on or before 16 December 2015.

(4) Costs are reserved.

(5) The matter is listed for directions at 9.00 am before the Registrar on 3 February 2016. Catchwords: CIVIL PROCEDURE – application to strike out pleadings – whether pleadings disclose a viable cause of action – justiciability of claims – decisions of voluntary religious organisation – whether Towards Healing protocols of the Catholic Church give rise to enforceable civil rights – justiciability of claims concerning canon law – justiciability of natural justice claim Legislation Cited: 1983 Code of Canon Law Federal Court Act 1976 (Cth) Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) Cases Cited: Ainsworth v Criminal Justice Commission [1992] HCA 10; (1992) 175 CLR 564 Annetts v McCann [1990] HCA 57; (1990) 70 CLR 596 Bird v Campbelltown Anglican Schools Council [2007] NSWSC 1419 Cameron v Hogan [1934] HCA 24; (1934) 51 CLR 358 Carter v NSW Netball Association [2004] NSWSC 737 Clarke v State of New South Wales [2015] NSWSC 1054 Egan v Minister for Transport (Cth) (1976) 14 SASR 445 Ermogenous v Greek Orthodox Community of SA Inc (2002) 209 CLR 95; [2002] HCA 8 Evans (of Robb Evans & Associates) v European Bank Ltd (2004) 61 NSWLR 75; [2004] NSWCA 82 Field v NSW Greyhound Breeders, Owners & Trainers Association Ltd (1972) 2 NSWLR 948 Fisher v Keane (1879) 11 Ch D 353 Gibson v Parkes District Hospital (1991) 26 NSWLR 9 Hospitals Contribution Fund of Australia v Hunt (1982) 44 ALR 365 Macqueen v Frackelton [1909] HCA 28; (1909) 8 CLR 673 McGuirk v University of New South Wales [2009] NSWSC 1424 O'Brien v Bank of Western Australia Ltd [2013] NSWCA 71; (2013) 16 BPR 31,705 Rondel v Worsley (1967) 1 QB 443; [1966] 3 All ER 657 Scandrett v Dowling (1992) 27 NSWLR 483 Shelton v National Roads & Motorists Association Ltd (2004) 51 ACSR 278; [2004] FCA 1393 Spencer v Commonwealth [2010] HCA 28; (2010) 241 CLR 118 Sturt v the Right Reverend Dr Brian Farran Bishop of Newcastle [2012] NSWSC 400 Texts Cited: Truth, Justice and Healing Council, Royal Commission Issues Paper No 2, "Towards Healing", 30 September 2013 Category: Procedural and other rulings Parties: DEF (Plaintiff) Scott Trappett (First Defendant) Dan-Phoung Nguyen (Second Defendant) Mark Eustace (Third Defendant) John Dunford QC (Fourth Defendant) Most Reverend Archbishop Mark Coleridge (Fifth Defendant) Representation: Counsel: M McAuley (Plaintiff) M Higgins (Third Defendant)