Capitol Carpets Pty Ltd v Schwartz Family Co Pty Ltd [2016] NSWSC 1753

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Capitol Carpets Pty Ltd v Schwartz Family Co Pty Ltd [2016] NSWSC 1753 Hearing dates: 17 March 2016 Decision date: 14 December 2016 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: McCallum J Decision: Appeal allowed; judgment of the Local Court set aside Catchwords: LOCAL COURT – appeals – whether failure to comply with a procedural direction can properly be taken into account in the court's evaluation of evidence that has been admitted at trial – proper construction of s 61 of the Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW) – whether Local Court erred in accepting evidence of expert witness where assumptions not proved – whether findings of fact available on the evidence – where plaintiff in proceedings below sought damages for cost of relaying carpet installed over five years earlier – whether open to find carpet had any future useful life Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), s 61 Local Court Act 2007 (NSW), ss 39, 40 Local Courts Act 1982 (NSW), s 73 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), sch 7 Cases Cited: Attorney-General for the State of New South Wales v X (2000) NSWLR 653; [2000] NSWCA 199 Australian Broadcasting Tribunal v Bond (1990) 170 CLR 321 Dasreef Pty Ltd v Hawchar (2011) 243 CLR 588; [2011] HCA 21 Hamod v Suncorp Metway Insurance Ltd [2006] NSWCA 243 Kostas v HIA Insurance Services Pty Limited (2010) 241 CLR 390; [2010] HCA 32 Makita (Australia) Pty Ltd v Sprowles (2001) 52 NSWLR 705; [2001] NSWCA 305 R L & D Investments Pty Ltd v Bisby [2002] NSWSC 1082 US Manufacturing Co Pty Ltd v ABB Service Pty Ltd [2008] NSWSC 705 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Capitol Carpets Pty Ltd (plaintiff) Schwartz Family Co Pty Ltd (defendant) Representation: Counsel: M Southwick (plaintiff) J Sleight (defendant)