La Valette v Chambers-Grundy [2019] NSWSC 1355

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: La Valette v Chambers-Grundy [2019] NSWSC 1355 Hearing dates: 11 September 2019 Date of orders: 09 October 2019 Decision date: 09 October 2019 Jurisdiction: Equity Before: Ward CJ in Eq Decision: 1. Refuse leave for the issue of the notice to produce to the first defendant. 2. Refuse the application for a direction to be made to the first defendant to complete application forms for the release of medical records. 3. Refuse leave for the issue of a subpoena coupled with a letter of request to be sent to the deceased's general practitioner in Bermuda. 4. Defer the application for leave for the issue of a subpoena coupled with a letter of request to be sent to the deceased's medical practitioners/medical clinics in Nevada, California and Florida pending the outcome of the applications that have now been made by the first defendant for the release of the deceased's medical records. 5. Reserve the question of costs of the notice of motion filed 30 August 2019. 6. Stand the notice of motion over to a date to be fixed for final ruling on the deferred part of that application. Catchwords: CIVIL PROCEDURE – issue of notice to produce documents recording communications with overseas medical practitioners – whether merely a fishing expedition

PRIVATE INTERNATIONAL LAW – Application for leave to serve subpoenas and accompanying letters of request in Bermuda, Nevada, Florida and California for production of medical records – whether jurisdiction pursuant to the Hague Evidence Convention or inherent jurisdiction of the court Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), ss 56, 61, 62, 68 Corporations Act 2001 (Cth), s 581(4) Evidence Act 1905 (Cth) Evidence on Commission Act 1995 (NSW), ss 6(1)(c) , 6(2), 20(1)(c) Succession Act 2006 (NSW), s 59 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), rr 2.1, 11A.4, 11.8AB, 21.10, 24.5, 34.1 Cases Cited: Aetna Pacific Securities Ltd v Hong Kong Bank of Australia Ltd (Supreme Court (NSW), Giles J, 29 April 1993, unrep) Amey v Long (1808) 9 East 473 Anderson v Patersons Securities Ltd (No 2) [2019] NSWSC 853 Arhill Pty Ltd v General Terminal Co Pty Ltd (1990) 23 NSWLR 545 Associated Dominions Assurance Society Pty Ltd v John Fairfax & Sons Pty Ltd (1955) 72 WN (NSW) 250 Barkley v Barkley-Brown [2010] NSWSC 746 Biota Holdings Ltd v Glaxo Group Ltd [2006] VSC 71 Bremer Vulkan Schiffbau und Maschinenfabrik v South India Shipping Corporation Ltd [1981] AC 909 British American Tobacco Australia Services Ltd v Eubanks for the United States of America (2004) 60 NSWLR 483; [2004] NSWCA 158 Broadway Plaza Investments Pty Ltd v Broadway Plaza Pty Ltd [2019] NSWSC 410 Elna Australia Pty Ltd v International Computers (Aust) Pty Ltd (1987) 14 FCR 461 Gloucester (Sub-Holdings 1) Pty Ltd v Chief Commissioner of State Revenue [2013] NSWSC 1419 Gredd v Arpad Busson [2003] EWHC 3001 MacKinnon v Donaldson Lufkin and Jenrette Securities Corp [1986] Ch 482; [1986] 1 All ER 653; [1986] 2 WLR 453 McGrath as Liquidators of HIH Insurance Ltd [2008] NSWSC 780 McGrath as Liquidators of HIH Insurance Ltd [2008] NSWSC 881 Novotny v Todd [2002] WASCA 79 Panayiotou v Sony Music Entertainment (UK) Ltd [1994] Ch 142 Re Estate Grundy (No. 2) [2018] NSWSC 1495 Rinehart v Rinehart [2019] NSWSC 759 Westpac Banking Corporation v Halabi (Supreme Court (NSW), Rogers J, 22 December 1987, unrep) Wollongong Coal Ltd v Gujarat NRE Properties Pty Ltd (No 2) [2019] NSWSC 758 Texts Cited: Lord Collins of Mapesbury et al, Dicey, Morris and Collins on The Conflict of Laws (15th ed, 2012, Sweet & Maxwell) Hague Convention on the Service Abroad of Judicial and Extrajudicial Documents in Civil and Commercial Matters (15 November 1965) Hague Convention on the Taking of Evidence Abroad in Civil or Commercial Matters (18 March 1970) M Davies, A Bell & P Brereton, Nygh's Conflict of Laws in Australia (9th ed, 2014, LexisNexis) Category: Procedural and other rulings Parties: Viola La Valette (Plaintiff) Carolyn Joy Chambers-Grundy (First Defendant) Artworld Limited (Second Defendant) RG Properties (Australia) Pty Ltd (Third Defendant) Representation: Counsel: MK Meek SC with D Barlin (Plaintiff) P Blackburn-Hart SC with CD Wood (Defendants)