Tuitupou v Davies [2019] NSWSC 160

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Tuitupou v Davies [2019] NSWSC 160 Hearing dates: 18 February 2019 Decision date: 27 February 2019 Jurisdiction: Equity Before: Ward CJ in Eq Decision: 1. Dismiss the plaintiffs' amended notice of motion filed 14 February 2019 with no order as to the costs of the hearing on 18 February 2019 (to the intent that each party bear his or her own costs of that hearing). 2. Order that, save as provided in order 1, the parties' costs since 13 December 2018 be paid in the same way as the costs orders made by consent on 18 February 2019 for the balance of the proceedings. Catchwords: COSTS — application by plaintiff for judgment in terms of an "in-principle" agreement ––s 73 of the Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW) application –– where matter has not been heard on the merits –– whether conduct of defendants so unreasonable as to warrant costs orders against them –– whether conduct of the defendants' solicitor a serious dereliction of duty, serious misconduct or gross negligence to warrant a personal costs order Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), ss 56-59, 73 and 99, Pt 6, Div 1 Succession Act 2006 (NSW), s 59 Trustee Act 1925 (NSW), s 59(4) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), rr 20.26, 42.1, 42.25, Pt 42 Cases Cited: Baulkham Hills Private Hospital Pty Ltd v GR Securities Pty Ltd (1986) 40 NSWLR 622 Calderbank v Calderbank [1975] 3 All ER 333; (1975) 3 WLR 586 Dura (Australia) Construction Pty Ltd v Hue Boutique Living Pty Ltd (No 5); (2014) 48 VR 1; [2014] VSC 400 Edwards v Edwards [1958] P 235; [1958] 2 All ER 179 Edwards Madigan Torzillo Briggs Pty Ltd v Stack [2003] NSWCA 302 GR Securities Pty Ltd v Baulkham Hills Private Hospital Pty Ltd (1986) 40 NSWLR 631 Masters v Cameron [1854] HCA 72; (1954) 91 CLR 353 Miller v Cameron [1936] HCA 13; (1936) 54 CLR 572 Myers v Elman [1940] AC 282; [1939] 4 All ER 484 Nichols v NFS Agribusiness Pty Ltd [2018] NSWCA 84 One.Tel Ltd v Commisioner of Taxation (2000) 101 FCR 548 Re Bendeich (No 2) (1994) 53 FCR 422 Re Dunstan (No 2) [2000] ACTSC 33; (2000) 155 FLR 189 Re Jones; Christmas v Jones [1897] 2 Ch 190 Re Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs (Cth); Ex parte Lai Qin [1997] HCA 6; (1997) 186 CLR 622 Re the Estate of Hodges; Shorter v Hodges (1988) 14 NSWLR 698 Re Weall: Andrews v Weall [1889] 42 Ch D 674 Renton v Kelly [2018] NSWSC 1377 Tarabay v Bechara [2010] NSWSC 202 Warton v Yeo [2015] NSWCA 115; (2015) 15 ASTLR 462 Texts Cited: G E Dal Pont, Lexis Nexis, Solicitor Manual, revised ed (at 16 January 2019) Category: Costs Parties: Natalie Kim Tuitupou (First Plaintiff) Kyle Terrence Johnson (Second Plaintiff) Kathryn Elise Davies (First Defendant) Shannon Kate Lee (Second Defendant) Representation: Counsel: F Santisi (Plaintiffs) R Winfield (Defendants)