Croucher v Cachia [2016] NSWCA 132

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Croucher v Cachia [2016] NSWCA 132 Hearing dates: 02 March 2016; written submissions 10 and 14 March 2016 Decision date: 09 June 2016 Before: Beazley P at [1]; Ward JA at [2]; Leeming JA at [3] Decision: 1. Appeal allowed.

2. Set aside the judgment and orders made on 18 May 2015.

3. Mr Cachia to have a certificate under the Suitors' Fund Act 1951 (NSW).

4. The parties are referred to court-annexed mediation. Such mediation is to occur by no later than 21 July 2016.

5. The parties are to attend upon the Registrar of the Equity Division of this Court forthwith to obtain a date for mediation.

6. After 21 July 2016, if the matter is unresolved at mediation, the parties are to file and serve on or before 4 August 2016 submissions not exceeding five pages in relation to the costs of the appeal, with a view to the question of costs being determined on the papers, and the balance of the matter is remitted to the District Court for a new trial on all issues save for the quantification of the heads of damages, such remitter to include determining the costs of the first trial before the primary judge. Catchwords: APPEAL – review of findings of primary fact – whether appellable error in failing to resolve all issues of fact and credit – whether failure to grapple with defendant's case – whether appellable error in findings as to damages – whether failure to make sufficient facts to determine all legal issues

TORTS – trespass to the person – negligence – elements of and relationship between – defendant found to have recklessly injured neighbour with gardening shears following altercation – relationship between trespass to the person and Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW), s 3B(1)(a) where finding of recklessness – elements of self-defence under ss 52 and 53 of Civil Liability Act Legislation Cited: Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW), ss 3A, 3B, 5, 21, 27, 52, 53, 54 Crimes (Domestic and Personal Violence) Act 2007 (NSW), s 13 Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), ss 59, 61 Evidence Act 1995 (NSW), s 140 Suitors' Fund Act 1951 (NSW) Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), r 42.1 Cases Cited: Astley v Austrust Ltd [1999] HCA 6; 197 CLR 1 Barton v Armstrong [1969] 2 NSWR 451 Blacker v Waters (1928) 28 SR (NSW) 406 Brittain v The Commonwealth of Australia (No 2) [2004] NSWCA 427 Carter v Walker [2010] VSCA 340; 32 VR 1 Darby v Director of Public Prosecutions [2004] NSWCA 431; 61 NSWLR 558 Day v The Ocean Beach Hotel Shellharbour Pty Ltd [2013] NSWCA 250; 85 NSWLR 335 Dean v Phung [2012] NSWCA 223 EPS Constructions Pty Ltd v Mass Holdings Pty Ltd [2015] NSWCA 317 Fistar v Riverwood Legion and Community Club Ltd [2016] NSWCA 81 Fox v Percy [2003] HCA 22; 214 CLR 118 Goodrich Aerospace Pty Ltd v Arsic [2006] NSWCA 187; 66 NSWLR 186 Gray v Motor Accident Commission [1998] HCA 70; 196 CLR 1 Hayer v Kam [2014] NSWSC 126 Katter v Melhem [2015] NSWCA 213; 90 NSWLR 164 Keith v Gal [2013] NSWCA 339 McHale v Watson (1964) 111 CLR 384 Miller v Miller [2011] HCA 9; 242 CLR 446 Murray v Sheldon Commercial Interiors Pty Ltd [2016] NSWCA 77 Norton v Hoare [No 1] (1913) 17 CLR 310 Pateman v Higgin (1957) 97 CLR 521 Paul v Cooke [2013] NSWCA 311; 85 NSWLR 167 Perisher Blue Pty Ltd v Nair-Smith [2015] NSWCA 90; 90 NSWLR 1 Pollard v RRR Corporation Pty Ltd [2009] NSWCA 110 Presidential Security Services of Australia Pty Ltd v Brilley [2008] NSWCA 204; 73 NSWLR 241 Redbro Investments Pty Ltd v Ceva Logistics (Australia) Pty Ltd [2015] NSWCA 73; 89 NSWLR 104 Rixon v Star City Pty Ltd [2001] NSWCA 265; 53 NSWLR 98 Sangha v Baxter [2009] NSWCA 78 Shimokawa v Lewis [2009] NSWCA 266 Smith v Jenkins (1970) 119 CLR 397 Spedding v Fitzpatrick (1888) 38 Ch D 410 State of New South Wales v Ibbett [2005] NSWCA 445; 65 NSWLR 168 State of New South Wales v McMaster [2015] NSWCA 228; 328 ALR 309 Stingel v Clark [2006] HCA 37; 226 CLR 442 Swain v Waverley Municipal Council [2005] HCA 4; 220 CLR 517 Timmins v Oliver (unreported, New South Wales Court of Appeal, 12 October 1972) Trustees of the Roman Catholic Church for the Diocese of Sydney v Hogan [2001] NSWCA 381; 53 NSWLR 343 Vines v Djordjevitch (1955) 91 CLR 512 Weaver v Ward (1616) Hob 134; 80 ER 284 White v Johnson [2015] NSWCA 18; 87 NSWLR 779 Williams v Milotin (1957) 97 CLR 465 Wilson v Peisley (1975) 50 ALJR 207 Xu v Jinhong Design & Constructions Pty Ltd [2011] NSWCA 277 Texts Cited: Clerk & Lindsell on Torts (20th ed, 2010, Sweet & Maxwell) J Fleming, The Law of Torts (9th ed, 1998, LBC Information Services) J Goudkamp and M Zou, "The Defence of Illegality in Tort Law: Beyond Judicial Redemption?" (2015) 74 Cambridge Law Journal 13 P Handford, "Intentional Negligence: A Contradiction in Terms?" (2010) 32 Sydney Law Review 29 J Jolowicz, "Forms of Action – Causes of Action – Trespass and Negligence" [1964] Cambridge Law Journal 200 P Trindade et al, The Law of Torts in Australia (4th ed, 2007, Oxford University Press) D Villa, Annotated Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW) (2nd ed, 2013, Lawbook Co) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Ronald James Croucher (Appellant) Dennis Peter Cachia (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: D Campbell SC, PM Barham (Appellant) SE McCarthy, SH Hartford Davis (Respondent)