Johnston v Johnston [2016] NSWCA 52

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Johnston v Johnston [2016] NSWCA 52 Hearing dates: 11 March 2016 Date of orders: 21 March 2016 Decision date: 21 March 2016 Before: Ward JA at [1]; Leeming JA at [55]; Simpson JA at [56] Decision: 1. Grant leave to appeal. 2. Dismiss the appeal with costs. Catchwords: COSTS – costs following settlement of contested probate proceedings – where offer of compromise accepted by respondents (defendants at first instance) – application of Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) r 42.13A where offer proposed both consent to grant of probate in solemn form and payment of monetary sum to respondents – characterisation of offer of compromise as "mixed offer" proposing judgment both in favour of plaintiffs and defendants – r 42.13A inapplicable – where general costs discretion under s 98 Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW) not exercised – whether matter should be remitted Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), ss 56, 98 Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW), s 101(2)(c) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), rr 20.26, 20.27, 42.13A, 51.53 Cases Cited: Calderbank v Calderbank [1975] 3 WLR 586 Estate of Moyle: Moyle v Moyle (Supreme Court (NSW), Santow J, 18 June 1998, unreported) Maitland Hospital v Fisher (No 2) (1992) 27 NSWLR 721 Middlebrook v Middlebrook (1962) 36 ALJR 216 Orton v Smith (1873) LR 3 P & D 23 Owners Corporation SP 74667; 74670 and 74662 v Auburn City Council [2015] NSWSC 86 Perpetual Trustee Company Limited v Baker [1999] NSWCA 244 Prosperity Advisers Pty Ltd v Secure Enterprises Pty Ltd t/as Strathearn Insurance Brokers [2012] NSWCA 192 Re Estate late Hazel Ruby Grounds; Page v Sedawie [2005] NSWSC 1311 Re Estate of Hodges (deceased); Shorter v Hodges (1988) 14 NSWLR 698 Re Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs; Ex parte Lai Qin [1997] HCA 6; (1997) 186 CLR 622 Redroff v Miegoch (Supreme Court (NSW), Santow J, 22 April 1996, unreported) Shorten v Shorten [2001] NSWSC 363 Shorten v Shorten [2002] NSWCA 73 Shorten v Shorten [2003] NSWCA 60 The Estate of Edward Richard Johnston [2015] NSWSC 1559 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Anthony Kaye Johnston (First Applicant) Zenith Patricia Grant (Second Applicant) James Edward Breck Johnston (Third Applicant) David Alan Johnston (First Respondent) Fay Hogan (Second Respondent) Representation: Counsel: T Alexis SC with P Afshar (Applicants) MR Tyson (Respondents)