Prothonotary of the Supreme Court of New South Wales v Montenegro [2015] NSWCA 409

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Prothonotary of the Supreme Court of New South Wales v Montenegro [2015] NSWCA 409 Hearing dates: 4 December 2015 Decision date: 18 December 2015 Before: Meagher JA; Leeming JA; Emmett AJA Decision: 1. Declare that Cesar Dario Montenegro is not a person of good fame and character. 2. Declare that Cesar Dario Montenegro is not a fit and proper person to remain on the Local Roll of Lawyers of the Supreme Court of New South Wales. 3. Order that the name of Cesar Dario Montenegro be removed from the Local Roll of Lawyers of the Supreme Court of New South Wales. 4. Order that Cesar Dario Montenegro pay the Prothonotary's costs of the proceedings. Catchwords: LEGAL PRACTITIONERS – application under Legal Profession Uniform Law (NSW), s 23(1)(b), for removal of practitioner from Roll of Lawyers – where practitioner has history of criminal conduct, principally traffic offences, between 1999 and 2013 – where practitioner failed to make full and frank disclosures to Legal Profession Admission Board, Law Society and Bar Association of that record and circumstances of offences – whether practitioner appreciates content and importance of obligation of candour – whether reformation of character justifying conclusion practitioner is presently a fit and proper person to practise, despite past misconduct Legislation Cited: Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), s 195A Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW), ss 9, 10(1)(b) Evidence Act 1995 (NSW), s 140 Legal Profession Act 2004 (NSW), ss 9(1), 25 Legal Profession Admission Rules 2005 (NSW), r 99 Legal Profession Regulation 2005 (NSW), cl 4 Legal Profession Uniform Law (NSW), s 23(1)(b) Legal Profession Uniform Law Application Act 2014 (NSW), s 11 Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW), s 48(2)(k) Supreme Court Rules 1970 (NSW), Pt 65A, r 2; Cases Cited: Banditt v The Queen [2005] HCA 80; 224 CLR 262 Clyne v New South Wales Bar Association [1960] HCA 40; 104 CLR 186 Ex parte Lenehan [1948] HCA 45; 77 CLR 403 Ex parte Tziniolos; Re Medical Practitioners Act (1966) 67 SR (NSW) 448 Health Care Complaints Commission v Litchfield (1997) 41 NSWLR 630 Montenegro v Law Society of New South Wales [2015] NSWSC 867 New South Wales Bar Association v Cummins [2001] NSWCA 284; 52 NSWLR 279 Prothonotary of the Supreme Court of New South Wales v Da Rocha [2013] NSWCA 151 Prothonotary of the Supreme Court of New South Wales v van Es [2014] NSWCA 169 Re Davis [1947] HCA 53; 75 CLR 409 Re Hampton [2002] QCA 129 Thomas v Legal Practitioners Admissions Board [2004] QCA 407; [2005] 1 Qd R 331 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Prothonotary of the Supreme Court of New South Wales (Applicant) Cesar Dario Montenegro (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: V Hartstein (Applicant) Cesar Dario Montenegro (self represented) (Respondent)