Cassegrain, Felicity v Cassegrain, Denis [2016] NSWCA 71

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Cassegrain, Felicity v Cassegrain, Denis [2016] NSWCA 71 Hearing dates: 29 February 2016 Decision date: 15 April 2016 Before: Basten JA [1]; Sackville AJA [31]; Emmett AJA [36] Decision: (1) Dismiss the appeal with costs.

(2) Refuse the application for leave to extend the time for filing an application for leave to appeal with costs. Catchwords: EQUITY – equitable compensation for costs incurred in proceedings – enquiry as to amount of compensation referred by consent to Referee – order sought that report of Referee be adopted – trial judge ordered that report be adopted and that parties including the appellant jointly and severally pay compensation – whether trial judge erred in finding appellant jointly and severally liable – whether trial judge ought to have found that appellant's liability did not extend to more than 10 per cent of the equitable compensation ordered – whether liability ought to have been limited to an amount that was proportionate to the appellant's liability under the first limb of Barnes v Addy – whether extent of liability impermissible having regard to the Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW), Pt 4 PROCEDURE – whether leave to appeal required Legislation Cited: Civil Liability Act 2005 (NSW), s 34 Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW), ss 3, 4, 5, 34, 34A, 35; Pt 1A; Sch 1, Pt 3, cl 6; Pt 4, cl 13 Civil Liability Amendment (Personal Responsibility) Act 2002 (NSW), Sch 1 [5] Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), s 98 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), rr 20.14, 20.23, 20.24 Cases Cited: Coulton v Holcombe [1986] HCA 33; (1986) 162 CLR 1 Consul Development Pty Ltd v DPC Estates Pty Ltd (1975) 132 CLR 373 Denis Cassegrain v Gerard Cassegrain & Co Pty Ltd [2012] NSWSC 403 Farah Constructions Pty Ltd v Say-Dee Pty Ltd (2007) 230 CLR 89; [2007] HCA 22 George v Webb [2011] NSWSC 1608 Gerard Cassegrain & Co Pty Ltd (in liquidation) v Cassegrain [2013] NSWCA 455 Denis Cassegrain & Ors v Gerard Cassegrain & Co Pty Limited (in Liquidation) & Ors [2014] NSWSC 411 Grimaldi v Chameleon Mining (No 2) (2012) 200 FCR 296; [2012] FCAFC 6 Hunt & Hunt Lawyers v Mitchell Morgan Nominees Pty Ltd (2013) 247 CLR 613; [2013] HCA 10 Kalls Enterprises Pty Ltd (In liq) v Baloglow [2007] NSWCA 191; (2007) 63 ACSR 557 Reinhold v New South Wales Lotteries Corporation (No 2) (2008) 82 NSWLR 762; [2008] NSWSC 187 Simmons v New South Wales Trustee and Guardian [2014] NSWCA 405 Suttor v Gundowda [1950] HCA 35; (1950) 81 CLR 418 Sze Tu v Lowe [2014] NSWCA 462; 89 NSWLR 317 Texts Cited: B McDonald and JW Carter, "The Lottery of Contractual Risk Allocation and Proportionate Liability" (2009) 26 Journal of Contract Law 1 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Felicity Cassegrain (Appellant) Denis Cassegrain (First Respondent) Catherine Dunn (Second Respondent) Patrick Cassegrain (Third Respondent) John Cassegrain (Fourth Respondent) Gerard Cassegrain & Co Pty Ltd (In liq) (Fifth Respondent) Christopher Mel Chamberlain in his capacity as liquidator of Gerard Cassegrain & Co Pty Ltd (Sixth Respondent) Claude Cassegrain's Official Trustee in Bankruptcy (Seventh Respondent) Anthony Blake Sarks (Eighth Respondent) Representation: Counsel: D F Jackson QC/Ms L M Jackson (Appellant) M Ashhurst SC/G B Colyer (First to Sixth Respondents) Submitting Appearance (Seventh and Eighth Respondents)