Bevan v Coolahan [2019] NSWCA 217

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Bevan v Coolahan [2019] NSWCA 217 Hearing dates: 11 June 2019 Decision date: 05 September 2019 Before: Basten JA at [1]; Leeming JA at [36]; McCallum JA at [130] Decision: 1. Appeal dismissed. 2. Cross-appeal dismissed. 3. Appellant to pay the respondents' costs in this Court. Catchwords: NEGLIGENCE – motor vehicle accident – occupants of vehicle participants in joint criminal enterprise to obtain illicit drugs – whether driver owed duty of care to passenger – whether Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW), s 54 displaced principles in Miller v Miller (2011) 242 CLR 446; [2011] HCA 9 – whether statutory purpose of criminal laws incongruous with driver owing passenger a duty of care – whether passenger complicit in driver's offences – whether primary judge's assessment of contributory negligence erroneous Legislation Cited: Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW), ss 3A, 3B, 4, 5H, 5M, 5L, 5R, 32, 44, 45, 52, 53, 54 Defamation Act 2005 (NSW), s 6 Drug Misuse and Trafficking Act 1985 (NSW), ss 10, 11, 11A, 12, 19 Evidence Act 1995 (NSW), s 9 Interpretation Act 1987 (NSW), s 34 Road Transport Act 2013 (NSW), ss 111, 112, 117 The Criminal Code (WA), ss 8, 371A, 378 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules, r 36.16 Cases Cited: Adeels Palace Pty Ltd v Moubarak [2009] HCA Trans 233 Bevan v Coolahan [2018] NSWDC 410 Boral Bricks Pty Ltd v Cosmidis (No 2) (2014) 86 NSWLR 393; [2014] NSWCA 139 Brighten v Traino [2019] NSWCA 168 Chief Executive Officer of Customs v Labrador Liquor Wholesale Pty Ltd (2003) 216 CLR 161; [2003] HCA 49 Dare v Pulham (1982) 148 CLR 658; [1982] HCA 70 Equuscorp Pty Ltd v Haxton (2012) 246 CLR 498; [2012] HCA 7 Ffrost v Stevenson (1937) 58 CLR 528; [1937] HCA 41 Gala v Preston (1991) 172 CLR 243 Hackshaw v Shaw (1984) 155 CLR 614; [1984] HCA 84 Henwood v The Municipal Tramways Trust (South Australia) (1938) 60 CLR 438; [1938] HCA 35 Holland v Tarlinton (1989) 10 MVR 129 Hunter and New England Local Health District v McKenna (2014) 253 CLR 270; [2014] HCA 44 IL v The Queen (2017) 262 CLR 268; [2017] HCA 27 IMM v The Queen (2016) 257 CLR 300; [2016] HCA 14 Jackson v Harrison (1978) 138 CLR 438 Leon Fink Holdings Pty Ltd v Australian Film Commission (1979) 141 CLR 672; [1979] HCA 26 Meadows v Ferguson [1961] VR 594 Miller v Miller (2011) 242 CLR 446; [2011] HCA 9 Miller v The Queen (2016) 259 CLR 380; [2016] HCA 30 National Coal Board v England [1954] AC 403 O'Connor v S P Bray Ltd (1937) 56 CLR 464; [1937] HCA 18 Osland v The Queen (1998) 197 CLR 316; [1998] HCA 75 Presidential Security Services of Australia Pty Ltd v Brilley (2008) 73 NSWLR 241; [2008] NSWCA 204 Project Blue Sky Inc v Australian Broadcasting Authority (1998) 194 CLR 355; [1998] HCA 28 R v Ellis (2003) 58 NSWLR 700; [2003] NSWCCA 319 Smith v Jenkins (1970) 119 CLR 397; [1970] HCA 2 Sons of Gwalia Ltd v Margaretic (2007) 231 CLR 160; [2007] HCA 1 Sovar v Henry Lane Pty Ltd (1967) 116 CLR 397; [1967] HCA 31 State of New South Wales v McMaster (2015) 91 NSWLR 666; [2015] NSWCA 228 Sullivan v Moody (2001) 207 CLR 562; [2001] HCA 59 Texts Cited: A Fell, "The Concept of Coherence in Australian Private Law" (2018) 41 Melbourne University Law Review 1160 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Chloe Bevan (Appellant) Jake David Coolahan (First Respondent) Kurt John O'Connell (Second Respondent) Representation: Counsel: H Marshall SC, M Maxwell (Appellant) K Rewell SC, B Wilson (Respondents)