The Nominal Defendant v Cordin [2017] NSWCA 6

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: The Nominal Defendant v Cordin [2017] NSWCA 6 Hearing dates: 14 September 2016 Decision date: 03 February 2017 Before: Macfarlan JA at [1]; Emmett AJA at [134]; Davies J at [160] Decision: (1) Appeal upheld. (2) Set aside the judgment of the District Court (Judge Levy SC) of 26 February 2016. (3) Order a new trial of the action. (4) The respondent should pay the appellant's costs of the appeal. (5) The respondent should have a certificate under the Suitors' Fund Act 1951 (NSW) if so entitled. (6) The costs of the first trial should abide the costs of the re-trial. Catchwords: TORTS – negligence – motor vehicles – respondent found injured near his bicycle on unsealed road – whether fall caused by push from behind by unidentified motor vehicle or due to bicycle striking a pothole – whether requirement for appellate intervention in respect of credit-based finding satisfied - Fox v Percy (2003) 214 CLR 118 – whether primary judge erred in analysis of contemporaneous documents Legislation Cited: Evidence Act 1995 (NSW), ss 76, 78 Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999 (NSW), s 34 Cases Cited: Allied Pastoral Holdings Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Taxation [1983] 1 NSWLR 1 Container Terminals Australia Ltd v Huseyin [2008] NSWCA 320 Coote v Kelly; Northam v Kelly [2016] NSWSC 1447 Cordin v The Nominal Defendant [2016] NSWDC 12 Duic v Duic [2013] NSWCA 42 Elayoubi v Zipser [2008] NSWCA 335; [2008] Aust Torts Reports 81-895 Fitzgibbon v The Waterways Authority [2003] NSWCA 294 Fox v Percy (2003) 214 CLR 118; [2003] HCA 22 Gestmin SGPS S.A. v Credit Suisse (UK) Limited [2013] EWHC 3560 (Comm) Gulic v O'Neill [2011] NSWCA 361 Jones v The Queen (1997) 191 CLR 439 Lithgow City Council v Jackson (2011) 244 CLR 352; [2011] HCA 36 Plomp v The Queen (1963) 110 CLR 234 State Rail Authority of NSW v Earthline Constructions Pty Ltd (1999) 73 ALJR 306; [1999] HCA 3 The Queen v Hillier (2007) 228 CLR 618; [2007] HCA 13 The Queen v Keenan (2009) 236 CLR 397; [2009] HCA 1 Toben v Nationwide News Pty Ltd [2016] NSWCA 296 Waterways Authority v Fitzgibbon [2005] 79 ALJR 1816; [2005] HCA 57 Category: Principal judgment Parties: The Nominal Defendant (Appellant) Michael Timothy Cordin (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: R Stitt QC / B Kelleher (Appellant) P Doherty SC / G Radburn (Respondent)