| R (on the application of Evans) and another (Respondents) v Attorney General (Appellant) (UKSC) - administrative law - freedom of information - communications between HRH The Prince of Wales and government department ministers - certificate issued by HM Attorney General quashed - appeal dismissed (I G) |
| J Cummins Pty Ltd v F & D Bonaccorso (NSWCA) - contract - option agreement - no common intention deposit to be treated as paid - appeal dismissed (I B C) |
| Arinson Pty Ltd v City of Canada Bay Council (NSWCA) - easements - appellants granted easements over Council’s land - appellants required to pay compensation to Council - appeal dismissed (B C) |
| Neale v Neale (NSWCA) - succession - payment of legacies to children of deceased by previous marriage - widow’s challenge failed - appeal dismissed (B) |
| Falco v Aiyaz; Falco v Falzon (NSWCA) - motor accidents compensation - psychiatric injury - damages - appeal dismissed - cross-appeal allowed (I) |
| Ping Yuan v Da Yong Chen (NSWSC) - medical treatment - plaintiff able to give consent for collection of sperm from unconscious husband - order restraining use of sperm until further order (I) |
| “B” v Reineker (NSWSC) - trespass to the person - sexual assault by teacher against student - trespass established - judgment for student in sum of $1,228,000 (I) |
| Dean's Pty Ltd v Laratae (VSC) - judicial review - accident compensation - estoppel - Magistrate’s decision to refuse to refer question to medical panel quashed (I G) |
| Wynne v Davey (QSC) - negligence - collision between motorcycle and campervan - driver of campervan negligent - motorcyclist contributorily negligent - liability apportioned at 85% for driver and 15% for motorcyclist (I) |
| Belgravia Nominees Pty Ltd v Lowe Pty Ltd (WASCA) - partnership - dissolution of partnership before commencement of proceedings by one partner - accrued rights held jointly by partners - other partner joined to proceedings (I B) |
| Austin v Verini (WASC) - insurance policy - balcony collapse - exclusion clause - insurer liable to indemnify owner builder for injuries suffered by plaintiffs (I B C) |
| Maples Winterview Pty Ltd v Liu (ACTSC) - contract - standard form building contract - builder not entitled to payments following its termination of contract - judgment for defendants (I B C) |
| Summaries With Link (Five Minute Read) |
R (on the application of Evans) and another (Respondents) v Attorney General (Appellant) [2015] UKSC 21
Supreme Court of the United Kingdom
Lord Neuberger, President; Lady Hale, Deputy President; Lord Mance, Lord Kerr, Lord Wilson, Lord Reed & Lord Hughes
Administrative law - freedom of information - appeal concerning whether communications passing between HRH The Prince of Wales and ministers in various government departments should be disclosed pursuant to a request of journalist who worked on Guardian newspaper - HM Attorney General appealed against Court of Appeal’s decision to quashing certificate he issued pursuant to section 53(2) Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOI 2000) and regulation 18(6) Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (re. 18(6) - Court of Appeal quashed certificate on grounds Attorney General’s reasons were not capable of constituting “reasonable grounds” and that insofar as advocacy correspondence concerned with environmental issues the certificate was incompatible with Council Directive 2003/4/EC (2003 Directive) - held (by majority): Attorney General not entitled to issue certificate under s53 (FOIA 2000) in manner in which it was issued - certificate invalid - reg.18(6) was incompatible with 2003 Directive and must also be treated as invalid with result certificate invalid in any event to extent it related to environmental information - appeal dismissed.
R (I G)
[From Benchmark Thursday, 16 July 2015]
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J Cummins Pty Ltd v F & D Bonaccorso [2015] NSWCA 200
Court of Appeal of New South Wales
Beazley P; Ward & Leeming JJA
Contract - evidence - credit - appellant sought rectification of option agreement it entered with respondent, and order for specific performance of rectified agreement - agreement preceded by an earlier option agreement not exercised prior to its expiry - second option agreement provided for higher purchase price - whether common intention at time second option agreement entered that stated deposit to be treated as if paid - trial judge found no such common intention established - held: trial judge justified in not accepting evidence of appellant’s principal of an arrangement outside formal contract documents - evidence did not support principal’s version of events - there was evidence that developer interested in property at higher price than in either option agreement - appellant’s contention rejected that price in second agreement was commercially irrational - appeal dismissed.
JCummins (I B C)
[From Benchmark Thursday, 16 July 2015]
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Arinson Pty Limited v City of Canada Bay Council [2015] NSWCA 199
Court of Appeal of New South Wales
Basten & Meagher JJA; JC Campbell AJA
Easements - Land and Environment Court granted easements to appellants pursuant to s88K Conveyancing Act 1919 over land of which respondent Council was registered proprietor - Land and Environment Court ordered appellants to pay compensation to the Council and its costs - appellants challenged decision that compensation should be paid for the easements - appellants also challenged order for costs if appeal otherwise succeeded - ‘special circumstances’ - onus - required reasoning process - restoration of status quo - ‘blight’ argument - expectation to purchase - legal policy - s55 Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 - s58(3) Land and Environment Court Act 1979 - ss5, 6, 37, 38, 43(4) Roads Act 1993 - r14.7 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 - held: appellants’ submissions unsuccessful - question of costs did not arise - appeal dismissed.
Arinson (B C)
[From Benchmark Friday, 17 July 2015]
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Neale v Neale [2015] NSWCA 206
Court of Appeal of New South Wales
Basten, Macfarlan & Gleeson JJA
Succession - deceased left whole estate to widow - two of deceased’s three children by earlier marriage sought provision from estate under pt 3.2 Succession Act 2006 (NSW) - Court awarded legacies to be paid from notional estate of deceased - widow sought to set aside legacies and that respondents pay her costs - each claimant had a child or children with medical conditions and physical disabilities causing distress and expense - circumstances relating to claimants which primary judge found favoured order for provision - competing needs of widow - held: widow’s challenges failed - widow was secure financially in comparison with claimants - security not materially affected by payment of legacies - no error identified on part of primary judge - appeal dismissed.
Neale (B)
[From Benchmark Monday, 20 July 2015]
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Falco v Aiyaz; Falco v Falzon [2015] NSWCA 202
Court of Appeal of New South Wales
Macfarlan & Emmett JJA; Sackville AJA
Motor accidents compensation - appellant developed psychiatric conditions following two separate motor vehicle accidents in which vehicle in which she was travelling was struck from behind - appellant sued drivers of the two vehicles - no question of liability of drivers - appellant contended damages awarded in her favour were inadequate - appellant claimed primary judge erred in concluding she exaggerated her symptoms - held: challenge to primary judge’s finding that appellant considerably exaggerated her symptoms failed - no appellable error in assessment of extent of appellant’s psychiatric disabilities attributable to accidents - primary judge erred in awarding damages against drivers for gratuitous care services - Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999 (NSW) precluded award of damages for gratuitous care services against each driver - appeal dismissed - cross-appeal allowed.
Falco (I)
[From Benchmark Tuesday, 21 July 2015]
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Ping Yuan v Da Yong Chen [2015] NSWSC 932
Supreme Court of New South Wales
Fagan J
Medical treatment - plaintiff sought order to facilitate collection of sperm from defendant husband lying unconscious in a critical condition at hospital - Assisted Reproductive Technology Act 2007 - s40 Guardianship Act 1987 - Human Tissue Act 1983 - held: proposed procedure fell within meaning of “treatment” for the purposes of s40 - Court declared medical practitioners of fertility clinic could lawfully act upon consent of plaintiff with respect to extracting and storing semen - husband died 45 minutes after extraction - there was issue whether consent of husband as ‘gamete provider’ under Assisted Reproductive Technology Act was able to be established - declaration made that plaintiff may give consent for collection of sperm from her husband, and order restraining use of sperm until further order - directions to facilitate notification of interested parties and to permit joinder
PingYuan (I)
[From Benchmark Friday, 17 July 2015]
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“B” v Reineker [2015] NSWSC 949
Supreme Court of New South Wales
Adamson J
Trespass to the person - “B” commenced proceedings for damages for trespass against defendant and for negligence against school - defendant was employed by school and “B”’s teacher - claim against school resolved by agreement - principal allegation was that “B” was sexually assaulted by defendant between 2001 and 2008 - defendant pleaded guilty to offences of aggravated indecent assault and unlawful sexual intercourse - at time of hearing defendant still in custody serving sentence - held: plaintiff established cause of action in trespass against defendant - plaintiff was below age of consent for large proportion of assaults - in circumstances it would be unreal to regard plaintiff as able to form judgment whether to consent merely because she had reached biological marker - judgment for plaintiff against defendant in sum of $1,228,000.
“B” (I)
[From Benchmark Wednesday, 22 July 2015]
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Dean's Pty Ltd v Laratae [2015] VSC 341
Supreme Court of Victoria
Zammit J
Judicial review - accident compensation - employer sought to quash decision of Magistrate not to refer question to medical panel concerning whether employment was or could have been significant contributing factor to alleged injury - Magistrate held employer was estopped from contesting injury alleged by worker on basis of an issue estoppel arising as result of decision in application for leave to bring damages proceedings under s134AB(16)(b) Accident Compensation Act 1985 (Vic) - held: on natural reading of s134AB(19A) Court unable to infer legislative intention for issue estoppel to arise from all findings made in serious injury application in relation to all subsequent proceedings - no issue estoppel arose - judge did not have jurisdiction to determine causation of worker’s injuries other than incidentally and for limited purpose - judges finding able to be re-litigated - finding not a final and conclusive determination on merits - Magistrate’s decision quashed - matter remitted to Magistrate’s Court for referral of all medical questions to medical panel.
Dean’s (I G)
[From Benchmark Tuesday, 21 July 2015]
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Wynne v Davey [2015] QSC 200
Supreme Court of Queensland
Burns J
Negligence - plaintiff motorcyclist claimed damages for injuries and loss arising out of collision with campervan - first defendant was driver of campervan - quantum of damages agreed - only issue was liability - s23 Civil Liability Act 2003 (Qld) - regs 37, 38 & 132 Transport Operations (Road Use Management—Road Rules) Regulation 2009 (Qld) - held: first defendant negligent to substantial degree - U-turn first defendant attempted which ended in collision flouted road rules and was dangerous manoeuvre - first defendant knew a motorcycle was travelling towards his position but turned without looking - plaintiff negligent to lesser degree - plaintiff knew existence of campervan and approached its position too fast to evade collision if vehicle pulled out onto roadway - by travelling at speed he did, plaintiff guilty of contributory negligence - liability apportioned at 85% for driver, and 15% for plaintiff - judgment for plaintiff
Wynne (I)
[From Benchmark Wednesday, 22 July 2015]
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Belgravia Nominees Pty Ltd v Lowe Pty Ltd [2015] WASCA 143
Court of Appeal of New South Wales
McLure P; Buss & Murphy JJA
Partnership - appellant claimed it and company (Penhurst) carried on business in partnership - partners and another entered agency agreement with first respondent -partnership made payments to first respondent - partnership dissolved - appellant pleaded multiple causes of action against respondents - primary issue on appeal was whether, following dissolution of partnership, s49 Partnership Act 1895 (WA) was exclusive source of partner's right to bring proceedings to recover partnership property - held: partnership's accrued rights to take action against first respondent for breach of agency agreement and to recover statutory debt were held jointly by appellant and Penhurst - Penhurst must be joined as plaintiff with its consent, or made a defendant absent its consent under O18 r4(2) Rules of the Supreme Court 1971 (WA) - rule applied where plaintiff claimed relief to which any other person was entitled jointly with him - s49 not exclusive source of partner's accrued right to take legal proceedings in respect of partnership property after dissolution of partnership - appeal allowed.
Belgravia (I B)
[From Benchmark Monday, 20 July 2015]
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Austin v Verini [2015] WASC 258
Supreme Court of Western Australia
Allanson J
Insurance contract - exclusion clause - personal legal liability cover - preliminary question - balcony collapsed at house while owners holding party - plaintiffs standing on balcony when it collapsed and suffered injury - house built by defendant - plaintiffs sued defendant - defendant issued third party notice against insurer claiming indemnity against plaintiffs' claims under policy - insurer contended exclusion clause applied - exclusion clause stated insurer did not insure against liability for personal injury caused by or arising out of breach of insured’s duty as owner or occupier of building which was not insured by insurer at time of occurrence that caused injury - parties agreed insurer did not insurer defendant against loss or damage to house or contents at time of balcony collapse - whether third party liable to indemnify defendant - whether liability of defendant for breach of duty was breach as owner - whether ownership integral to duty of care - construction of policy - ss4 & 4A(1)(c) Builders' Registration Act 1939 (WA) - held: both parties accepted defendant had duty of care to plaintiffs and breached that duty - Court satisfied duty was not a duty 'as the owner' - insurer liable to indemnify defendant - defendant entitled to orders sought in third party statement of claim.
Austin (I B C)
[From Benchmark Wednesday, 22 July 2015]
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Maples Winterview Pty Ltd v Liu [2015] ACTSC 58
Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory
Mossop AsJ
Contract - standard form building contract - plaintiff building company sued first and second defendants who were joint owners of property - claim sought payment of amount owing following termination of building contract by plaintiff - whether contract validly terminated for defendants’ breach of obligation to pay one or more payment claims - held: due to plaintiff’s failure to install under slab insulation, plaintiff had no entitlement to progress payment for stages 2 and following - because plaintiff not entitled to make those progress claims it was not entitled to further money by reason of adjustment of contract price - plaintiff not entitled to make the claims it did on certain date and defendants not in breach of contract by failing to make payments - plaintiff not entitled to terminate contract - entitlement to payment dependent upon contract being terminated in accordance with clause - contract not terminated by plaintiff in accordance with that clause - plaintiff not entitled to payment under clause - defendant’s failure to obtain loan from bank was not breach of contract - judgment for defendants.
Maples (I B C)
[From Benchmark Monday, 20 July 2015]
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| CRIMINAL |
| Executive Summary |
| R v Foulis (SASCFC) - criminal law - aggravated firearm possession whilst unlicensed - trafficking in methylamphetamine - theft by receipt - denial of procedural fairness - sentence not manifestly excessive - appeal dismissed |
| Summaries With Link |
R v Foulis [2015] SASCFC 90
Full Court of the Supreme Court of South Australia
Gray, Sulan & Kelly JJ
Criminal law - appellant pleaded guilty to aggravated firearm possession whilst unlicensed, trafficking in methylamphetamine and theft by receipt - appellant subject to two-month suspended sentence bond at time he committed offences - suspended sentence revoked and appellant sentenced to total of imprisonment of five years with non-parole period of three years and four months - appellant contended sentence was manifestly excessive and that appellant not afforded procedural fairness as result of trial Judge referring to evidence of trafficking in ecstasy when sentencing, which was not subject of charge - s32(3) Controlled Substances Act 1984 (SA) - ss11 & 34A Firearms Act 1977 (SA) - s134(1) Criminal Law Consolidation Act 1935 (SA) - held: trial judge did not accord appellant procedural fairness - reference to ecstasy indicated it was a factor relied upon by trial judge in sentencing and appellant was not given an opportunity to address the presence of ecstasy - sentence not manifestly excessive in all the circumstances - appeal dismissed.
R |
La Belle Dame sans Merci: A Ballad
By John Keats
O what can ail thee, knight-at-arms,
Alone and palely loitering?
Thesedgehas withered from the lake,
And no birds sing.
O what can ail thee, knight-at-arms,
Sohaggardand so woe-begone?
The squirrel’s granary is full,
And the harvest’s done.
I see a lily on thy brow,
With anguish moist and fever-dew,
And on thy cheeks a fading rose
Fast withereth too.
I met a lady in themeads,
Full beautiful—a faery’s child,
Her hair was long, her foot was light,
And her eyes were wild.
I made a garland for her head,
And bracelets too, and fragrant zone;
She looked at me as she did love,
Andmade sweet moan
I set her on my pacing steed,
And nothing else saw all day long,
For sidelong would she bend, and sing
A faery’s song.
She found me roots of relish sweet,
Andhoney wild, and manna-dew,
And sure in language strange she said—
‘I love thee true’.
She took me to herElfin grot,
And there she wept and sighed full sore,
And there I shut her wild wild eyes
With kisses four.
And there she lullèd me asleep,
And there I dreamed—Ah! woe betide!—
The latest dream I ever dreamt
On the cold hill side.
I saw pale kings and princes too,
Pale warriors, death-pale were they all;
They cried—‘La Belle Dame sans Merci
Thee hathin thrall!’
I saw their starved lips in thegloam,
With horrid warning gapèd wide,
And I awoke and found me here,
On the cold hill’s side.
And this is why Isojournhere,
Alone and palely loitering,
Though the sedge is withered from the lake,
And no birds sing.
John Keats |
