Ackerman v Morgan [2019] NSWSC 1250

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Ackerman v Morgan [2019] NSWSC 1250 Hearing dates: 5 November 2018 Date of orders: 20 September 2019 Decision date: 20 September 2019 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Walton J Decision: The Court makes the following orders and directions:

(1) Leave to appeal refused with respect to grounds 1, 3 and 5.

(2) Leave to appeal granted with respect to grounds 2, 4 and 6.

(3) Appeal upheld with respect to grounds 2, 4 and 6.

(4) Order number 2 of the court below be set aside.

(5) The defendant to pay the costs of the plaintiff (defendant in the Court below) on:

(a) an ordinary basis up to 22 May 2017; and

(b) an indemnity basis from 23 May 2017.

(6) Costs reserved as to the costs of the appeal.

(7) The plaintiff is to file and serve written submissions, together with any evidence, with respect to costs within 14 days of the publication of this judgment.

(8) The defendant is to file and serve written submissions in reply, together with any evidence, with respect to costs within 14 days of the receipt of the plaintiff's submissions.

(9) Any application for oral hearing should be included within the written submissions provided in accordance with (7) and (8) above.

(10) If costs of the appeal are settled then the plaintiff should bring in short minutes of order reflecting the same, which shall be dealt with administratively in Chambers. Catchwords: APPEAL – appeal from Local Court – s 40(2)(c) of the Local Court Act 2007 (NSW) – amended grounds of appeal – whether her Honour erred in failing to apply the principles applicable to offers to settle and offers made pursuant to the principles set out in Calderbank v Calderbank – whether her Honour erred in failing to apply the Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 and the principles applicable to offers of compromise – principles applicable to Calderbank offers – offer of compromise – compliance with r 20.26 – presumptive entitlement to indemnity costs in r 42.15A – relevant principles as to appeal against costs orders – rules in relation to offers of compromise operate differently to the principles which apply to Calderbank offers – questions of leave – appeal upheld – orders and directions Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW) Legal Profession Act 2004 (NSW) Local Court Act 2007 (NSW) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) Cases Cited: Ada Evans Chambers P/L v Santisi [2014] NSWSC 538 Ashi Pty Ltd v Karasco Investments Pty Ltd [2009] NSWSC 780 Be Financial Pty Ltd v Das [2012] NSWCA 164 Black v Lipovac [1998] FCA 699 Bogle v Kasan [2013] NSWSC 295 Caine v Lumley General Insurance Ltd (No 2) [2008] NSWCA 109 Carolan v AMF Bowling Pty Ltd t/as Bennetts Green Bowl [1995] NSWCA 69 Chapmans Ltd v Yandell [1999] NSWCA 361 Collins v The Queen (1975) 133 CLR 120; [1975] HCA 60 Commonwealth v Gretton [2000] NSWCA 118 Coulter v The Queen (1988) 164 CLR 350; [1988] HCA 3 De Armas v Peters [2015] NSWSC 1050 Evans Shire Council v Richardson (No 2) [2006] NSWCA 61 Hazeldene's Chicken Farm Pty Ltd v Victorian WorkCover Authority (No 2) (2005) 13 VR 435; [2005] VSCA 298 Herning v GWS Machinery Pty Ltd (No 2) [2005] NSWCA 375 House v The King (1936) 55 CLR 499; [1936] HCA 40 Jaycar Pty Ltd v Lombardo [2011] NSWCA 284 Johnson Tiles Pty Ltd v Esso Australia Ltd (2000) 104 FCR 564; [2000] FCA 1572 Jones v Bradley (No 2) [2003] NSWCA 258 Leach v The Nominal Defendant (QBE Insurance (Australia) Ltd) (No 2) [2014] NSWCA 391 Leichhardt Municipal Council v Green [2004] NSWCA 341 Manly Council v Byrne (No 2) [2004] NSWCA 227 Mega-top Cargo Pty Ltd v Moneytech Services Pty Ltd [2016] NSWCA 3 Meldov Pty Ltd v Bank of Queensland (No 2) [2015] NSWSC 740 Miwa Pty Ltd v Siantan Properties Pte Ltd (No 2) [2011] NSWCA 344 Perisher Blue Pty Ltd v Nair-Smith (No 2) [2015] NSWCA 268 Picos v Western Pacific Automotive [2018] NSWSC 536 Pratten v Johns [2010] NSWSC 327 Real Estate Property Management Pty Ltd v Watercorp Investments Pty Ltd [2018] NSWCA 194 Rose v Tunstall [2018] NSWCA 241 South Eastern Sydney Area Health Service v King [2006] NSWCA 2 Tati v Stonewall Hotel Pty Ltd (No 2) [2012] NSWCA 124 The Anderson Group Pty Ltd v Tynan Motors Pty Ltd (No 2) (2006) 67 NSWLR 706; [2006] NSWCA 120 The State of NSW v UXC Limited (No 2) [2011] NSWSC 685 Vagg v McPhee (No 2) [2012] NSWSC 187 Zelden v Sewell Henamast Pty Ltd [2011] NSWCA 56 Texts Cited: Local Court Practice Note Civ 1 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Deborah Ackerman (Plaintiff) Jane Morgan (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: J Rafferty (Plaintiff) M Daniels (Defendant)