Chamoun v District Court of New South Wales [2018] NSWCA 187

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Chamoun v District Court of New South Wales [2018] NSWCA 187 Hearing dates: 1 August 2018 Date of orders: 01 August 2018 Decision date: 01 August 2018 Before: Gleeson JA at [1] R A Hulme J at [80] Button J at [81] Decision: Summons filed 27 July 2018 dismissed with no order as to costs. Catchwords: CRIMINAL LAW – application for judicial review to prohibit a District Court judge from acting further in sentencing proceedings – Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW), s 69 – whether denial of procedural fairness – where judge refused to recuse herself – where assertion of apprehended bias on the ground of pre-judgment – where comments made by judge during sentencing proceedings – whether a fair-minded lay observer might reasonably apprehend that the judge might not bring an impartial and unprejudiced mind to the sentencing decision

CRIMINAL LAW – application for judicial review - discretionary factors – whether the Court should intervene at an interlocutory stage – where sentencing proceedings adjourned for receipt of further evidence and submissions – where delay in making the recusal application and the judicial review application Legislation Cited: Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), ss 93T(1), 193B Criminal Appeal Act 1912 (NSW), s 5F Criminal Assets Recovery Act 1990 (NSW), ss 10B(3)(b), 10A, 27 Drug Misuse and Trafficking Act 1985 (NSW), s 25(2) Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW), ss 17, 69, Third Schedule Cases Cited: Antoun v R [2006] HCA 2; (2006) 224 ALR 51 AJH Lawyers Pty Ltd v Careri (2011) 34 VR 236; [2011] VSCA 425 Anae v R [2018] NSWCCA 73 British American Tobacco Australia Services Ltd v Laurie (2011) 242 CLR 283; [2011] HCA 2 Chow v Director of Public Prosecutions (1992) 28 NSWLR 593 CUR24 v Director of Public Prosecutions (2012) 83 NSWLR 385; [2012] NSWCA 65 Dwayhi v R; Bechara v R [2011] NSWCCA 67; (2011) 205 A Crim R 274 Ebner v Official Trustee in Bankruptcy (2000) 205 CLR 337; [2000] HCA 63 Gaudie v Local Court of New South Wales [2013] NSWSC 1425 Green v The Queen (2011) 244 CLR 462; [2011] HCA 49 Lee v Cha [2008] NSWCA 13 Johnson v Johnson (2000) 201 CLR 488; [2000] HCA 48 Lamb v Moss (1983) 49 ALR 533 Michael Wilson & Partners v Nicholls (2011) 244 CLR 427; [2011] HCA 48 Ng v R [2011] NSWCCA 227; (2011) 214 A Crim R 191 Postiglione v The Queen (1997) 189 CLR 295; [1997] HCA 26 Re JRL; Ex parte CJL (1986) 161 CLR 342; [1986] HCA 39 R v Nguyen; R v Pham [2010] NSWCCA 238; (2010) 205 A Crim R 106 Sankey v Whitlam (1978) 142 CLR 1 Tarrant v R [2018] NSWCCA 21 Vakauta v Kelly (1989) 167 CLR 568; [1989] HCA 44 Category: Procedural and other rulings Parties: Mr Sam Chamoun (Applicant) District Court of New South Wales (First Respondent) Director of Public Prosecutions (NSW) (Second Respondent) Representation: Counsel: R Macaulay (solicitor) (Applicant) NJ Adams (Second Respondent)