Royal Guardian Mortgage Management Pty Ltd v Nguyen [2016] NSWCA 88

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Royal Guardian Mortgage Management Pty Ltd v Nguyen [2016] NSWCA 88 Hearing dates: 9 and 10 February 2016 Decision date: 29 April 2016 Before: Basten JA at [1]; Ward JA at [51]; Emmett AJA at [289] Decision: 1. Appeal allowed. 2. Set aside the judgment for the defendants and the orders made on 24 and 26 September 2014 by Adams J. 3. Remit the proceedings to the Common Law Division for re-hearing. 4. Respondents to pay the appellant's costs of the appeal. Costs of the proceedings at first instance to be dealt with by the judge re-hearing the matter in the Common Law Division. 5. The respondents to be given a certificate under the Suitors' Fund Act 1951 (NSW). Catchwords: APPEAL AND NEW TRIAL – whether denial of procedural fairness as a result of excessive judicial intervention in course of trial – whether reasonable apprehension of bias arising from conduct of trial and/or private communication by primary judge with counsel for the respondents during the course of the trial – matter remitted for re-trial

APPEAL – allegations of apprehended bias and procedural unfairness – whether to be addressed first – whether retrial required – whether other grounds should be addressed – addressing other grounds involving credibility findings Legislation Cited: Corporations Act 2001 (Cth), s 182 Suitors' Fund Act 1951 (NSW) Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW), s 75A(7) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), r 51.53 Cases Cited: Aussie Airlines Pty Limited v Australian Airlines Pty Limited (1996) 65 FCR 215 Baira v RHG Mortgage Corporation Limited [2012] NSWCA 387 Ball v McInerney [2014] NSWCA 331 BP Refinery (Westernport) Pty Limited v Shire of Hastings (1977) 180 CLR 266 Briginshaw v Briginshaw [1938] HCA 34; (1938) 60 CLR 336 Byrne v Australian Airlines Limited [1995] HCA 24; (1995) 185 CLR 410 Concrete Pty Ltd v Parramatta Design & Developments Pty Ltd [2006] HCA 55; (2006) 229 CLR 577 CSR Ltd v Della Maddalena [2006] HCA 1; (2006) 80 ALJR 458 Devries v Australian National Railways Commission [1993] HCA 78; (1993) 177 CLR 472 Ebner v Official Trustee in Bankruptcy [2000] HCA 63; (2000) 205 CLR 337 Ellis v R [2015] NSWCCA 262 Fox v Percy [2003] HCA 22; (2003) 214 CLR 118 Galea v Galea (1990) 19 NSWLR 263 GEC Marconi Systems Pty Ltd v BHP Information Technology Pty Ltd [2003] FCA 50; (2003) 128 FCR 1 Goodrich Aerospace Pty Ltd v Dusan Arsic [2006] NSWCA 187; (2006) 66 NSWLR 186 Hasler v Singtel Optus Pty Ltd (2014) 87 NSWLR 609; [2014] NSWCA 266 Hospital Products Limited v United States Surgical Corp [1984] HCA 64; (1984) 156 CLR 41 Jones v Dunkel [1959] HCA 8; (1959) 101 CLR 298 Jones v National Coal Board [1957] 2 QB 55 Knaggs v Director of Public Prosecutions (NSW) [2007] NSWCA 83; (2007) 170 A Crim R 366 Kuru v State of New South Wales [2008] HCA 26; (2008) 236 CLR 1 Lockwood v Police [2010] 107 SASR 237 Michael Wilson & Partners Limited v Nicholls [2011] HCA 48; (2011) 244 CLR 427 Michel v The Queen [2009] UKPC 41; [2010] 1 WLR 879 Nominal Defendant v McLennan [2012] NSWCA 148 Nominal Defendant v Smith [2015] NSWCA 339 North-West Transportation Co Limited v Beatty (1887) 12 App Cas 589 Owners of the Ship "Shin Kobe Maru" v Empire Shipping Company Inc [1994] HCA 54; (1994) 181 CLR 404 R v T, WA [2014] SASCFC 3; (2014) 118 SASR 382 Royal Guardian Mortgage Management Pty Limited v Nguyen [2014] NSWSC 665 Royal Guardian Mortgage Management Pty Limited v Nguyen (No 2) [2014] NSWSC 1327 RPS v The Queen [2000] HCA 3; (2000) 199 CLR 620 Small v K & R Fabrications (W'Gong) Pty Ltd [2016] NSWCA 70 Smith v New South Wales Bar Association [1992] HCA 36; (1992) 176 CLR 256 Smits v Roach [2006] HCA 36; (2006) 227 CLR 423 Vakauta v Kelly [1989] HCA 44; (1989) 167 CLR 568 Visscher v the Honourable President Justice Giudice [2009] HCA 34; (2009) 239 CLR 361 Yuill v Yuill [1945] P 15; [1945] 1 All ER 183 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Royal Guardian Mortgage Management Pty Limited (Appellant) Beth Ngoc Nguyen (First Respondent) Ian Stolyar (Second Respondent) Representation: Counsel: TD Blackburn SC with Ms N Oreb (Appellant) RG McHugh SC with RJ May (Respondents)