Oskouie v Maddox [2019] NSWSC 428

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Oskouie v Maddox [2019] NSWSC 428 Hearing dates: 29 June 2018 Date of orders: 18 April 2019 Decision date: 18 April 2019 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Rothman J Decision: (1) The defendant shall pay the plaintiff an amount of $875,000 for damages caused by the defendant's defamatory publications; (2) The defendant shall pay the plaintiff interest at the rate of 5.5% per annum on the amount of $425,000 from 16 February 2017 until the date of this judgment; (3) The defendant shall pay the plaintiff interest on $875,000 at the rate of 7.5% per annum from the date of this judgment until the date of payment in full; (4) The defendant shall pay the plaintiff's costs of and incidental to the proceedings on the following bases: (a) on an indemnity basis on and from 28 September 2016; (b) otherwise, costs, prior thereto, if any, on the ordinary basis. Catchwords: DEFAMATION – Remedies – Aggravated damages – malice – damage to reputation – compensatory – special damages – buffer in absence of precise calculation – compensatory and special damages awarded Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), s 100 Defamation Act 2005 (NSW), ss 14(2), 34, 35, 40 Cases Cited: Ali v Nationwide News Pty Ltd [2008] NSWCA 183 Carson v John Fairfax & Sons Ltd (1993) 178 CLR 44; [1993] HCA 31 David v Abdishou [2012] NSWCA 109 Dingle v Associated Newspapers Ltd [1964] AC 371 Dow Jones & Company Inc v Gutnick (2002) 210 CLR 575; [2002] HCA 56 Holt v TCN Channel Nine Pty Ltd (2014) 86 NSWLR 96; [2014] NSWCA 90 John Fairfax & Sons Ltd v Kelly (1987) 8 NSWLR 131 Palmer-Bruyn and Parker Pty Ltd v Parsons (2001) 208 CLR 388 ; [2001] HCA 69 Phillips v Robab Pty Limited [2014] NSWSC 1520 Reader's Digest Services Pty Ltd v Lamb (1982) 150 CLR 500; [1982] HCA Vilo v John Fairfax & Sons Ltd & Anor [2000] NSWSC 1206 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Milad Oskouie (Plaintiff) Brandon Lane Maddox (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: A Norrie (Plaintiff) Ex Parte (Defendant)