State of New South Wales v Shepherd [2019] NSWCA 261

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: State of New South Wales v Shepherd [2019] NSWCA 261 Hearing dates: 17 September 2019 Date of orders: 25 October 2019 Decision date: 25 October 2019 Before: Bell P, Meagher JA, Simpson AJA Decision: 1. Appeal allowed.

2. Set aside the judgment and orders of the District Court dated 7 March 2019.

3. Remit the proceedings to the District Court for retrial.

4. Order that the respondent pay the appellant's costs of the appeal.

5. Grant a certificate under the Suitors' Fund Act 1951 (NSW) to the respondent in respect of the costs of the appeal.

6. Order that the costs of the trial at first instance be costs in the retrial. Catchwords: APPEAL – procedural fairness – absence of reasons to support critical finding of fact – absence of reasons to support rejection of account of critical issue by witnesses on both sides of the record – no basis in the evidence to support the finding in fact made or the critical issue – need for a retrial Legislation Cited: Suitors' Fund Act 1951 (NSW) Cases Cited: Bell v Commissioner of Taxation [2012] FCA 1042 Bruce v Cole (1998) 45 NSWLR 163 Fleming v R (1998) 197 CLR 250; [1998] HCA 68 Housing Commission (NSW) v Tatmar Pastoral Co Pty Ltd (1983) 3 NSWLR 378; [1983] 53 LGRA 325 ISS Facility Services (NSW) Pty Ltd v State of New South Wales [2016] NSWCA 87 Keith v Gal [2013] NSWCA 339 Kostas v HIA Insurance Services Pty Limited (2010) 241 CLR 390; [2010] HCA 32 Li v Attorney General for New South Wales [2019] NSWCA 95 Mitchell v Cullingral Pty Ltd [2012] NSWCA 389 Palmer v Clarke (1989) 19 NSWLR 158 Pettitt v Dunkley [1971] 1 NSWLR 376 Public Service Board (NSW) v Osmond (1986) 159 CLR 656; [1986] HCA 7 Soulemezis v Dudley (Holdings) Pty Ltd (1987) 10 NSWLR 247 State of New South Wales v Hunt (2014) 86 NSWLR 226; [2014] NSWCA 47 Toll Pty Ltd v Harradine [2016] NSWCA 374 Wainohu v New South Wales (2011) 243 CLR 181; [2011] HCA 24 Waterways Authority v Fitzgibbon [2005] HCA 57; (2005) 79 ALJR 1816 Wesiak v D&R Constructions (Aust) Pty Ltd [2016] NSWCA 353 Category: Principal judgment Parties: State of New South Wales (Appellant) Justin Wayne Shepherd (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: L V Gyles SC with G W Keesing (Appellant) D R J Toomey SC with S J Holmes (Respondent)