O’Connor v O’Connor [2018] NSWCA 214

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: O'Connor v O'Connor [2018] NSWCA 214 Hearing dates: 30 August 2018 Decision date: 28 September 2018 Before: McColl JA at [1] Macfarlan JA at [2] Simpson AJA at [3] Decision: 1. Appeal allowed. 2. Judgment of the Supreme Court of 30 November 2017 set aside. 3. Within 42 days the first and second respondents give discovery under Part 5 Rule 3 of the Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) of documents of the kind specified in the Annexure to these reasons. 4.Division 1 of Part 21 of the Uniform Civil Procedure Rules applies to and in respect of discovery and inspection of documents the subject of order 3 in the same way as it applies to the discovery and inspection of documents the subject of an order for discovery under that division. 5. The first and second respondents pay the costs of the first and second appellants on the appeal; and 6. The first and second respondents pay the costs of the first and second appellants of the proceedings in the Supreme Court. Catchwords: APPEALS – civil procedure – preliminary discovery – Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), r 5.3(1) – where application dismissed for failure to satisfy the Court of entitlement to make a claim for relief – whether dismissal involved a determination of the merits of the claim at an interlocutory stage CIVIL PROCEDURE – preliminary discovery – production of documents concerning negotiations leading to acquisition of company – applicants' entitlement to disclosure – Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), r 5.3(1) – whether discovery may be given of documents relating only to quantum Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act (NSW) 2005 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules r 5.3; r 5.3(1); r 21.7 Cases Cited: Brunninghausen v Glavanics (1999) 46 NSWLR 538; [1999] NSWCA 199 Garth Barnett Interior Design Pty Ltd v Ellis [2009] NSWCA 193 [Glavanics v Brunninghausen (1996) 19 ACSR 204; (1999) 14 ACLC 345 Hatfield v TCN Channel 9 Pty Ltd (2010) 77 NSWLR 506; [2010] NSWCA 69 House v The King (1936) 55 CLR 499; [1936] HCA 40 Ian Edward Morton & 5 Ors v Nylex Limited & 1 Or [2007] NSWSC 562 Pfizer Island Pharmaceuticals v Samsung Bioepis AU Pty Ltd (2017) 351 ALR 103; [2017] FCAFC 193 St George Bank Ltd v Rabo Australia Ltd [2004] FCA 1360; (2004) 211 ALR 147 Steffen v ANZ Banking Group [2009] NSWSC 666 Strong v Repide [1909] USSC 119; (1909) 213 US 419 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Morgan O'Connor (1st Appellant) Michael Stack (2nd Appellant) John O'Connor (1st Respondent) Diona Pty Ltd (2nd Respondent) Representation: Counsel: Dr C Birch SC / D DeBuse (Appellants) E A Cheeseman SC / L Gor (Respondents)