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Contents Introduction to Civil Procedure ................................................................................................ 1 Procedural Law ...................................................................................................................... 1 Guiding Principle for Procedure ............................................................................................ 1 Adversarial System of Litigation ........................................................................................... 1 Cards on the Table Approach to Litigation ............................................................................ 2 Principle of Open Justice........................................................................................................ 2 Provision of Reasons for Decisions ....................................................................................... 3 Principle of a Fair Trial .......................................................................................................... 4 The Crown as a Model Litigant ............................................................................................. 5 Right to a Fair Trial Recognised in HR Legislation............................................................... 6 NSW Court System: An Overview ........................................................................................ 7 Supreme Court NSW .......................................................................................................... 7 Industrial Relations Commission and Industrial Court of NSW ........................................ 7 District Court of NSW ........................................................................................................ 8 Local Court of NSW ........................................................................................................... 8 Case Management ..................................................................................................................... 9 Justice Delayed is Justice Denied........................................................................................... 9 Costs ..................................................................................................................................... 11 Litigation Costs ................................................................................................................ 12 Caseload Management ......................................................................................................... 13 CPA & UCPR ................................................................................................................... 13 Managerial Judging .......................................................................................................... 14 Directions ............................................................................................................................. 15 Application of the CPA and the UCPR ................................................................................ 16 Ethical Requirements ........................................................................................................... 18 Practice Notes ....................................................................................................................... 19 Jurisdiction............................................................................................................................... 21 CrossVesting Legislation................................................................................................ 21 Limitation Periods ................................................................................................................... 23 Definition and Rationale ...................................................................................................... 23 Limitation Periods are Substantive Law .............................................................................. 24 Contract and Tort Limitation Periods in NSW .................................................................... 25 Personal Injury Limitations Periods in NSW ....................................................................... 25 Preliminary Discovery ............................................................................................................. 27 Preliminary Discovery for Identity or Whereabouts ............................................................ 27 Preliminary Discovery for Deciding Whether or Not to Commence Proceedings .............. 27 Procedure.............................................................................................................................. 28 Interim Preservation Orders ................................................................................................... 33 Power to grant interim injunctions ....................................................................................... 33 x District Court Act 1973 (NSW) s 46 ..................................................................... 33 - Gives power to the District Court to grant injunctions, including interlocutory injunctions, in “actions” as defined in s 44 .................................................................. 33

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Page 1: Contents · commercial disputes between resourceful commercial entities x Access to justice is a qualified right. Governments cannot be expected to provide unlimited publicly funded

Contents Introduction to Civil Procedure ................................................................................................ 1

Procedural Law ...................................................................................................................... 1

Guiding Principle for Procedure ............................................................................................ 1

Adversarial System of Litigation ........................................................................................... 1

Cards on the Table Approach to Litigation ............................................................................ 2

Principle of Open Justice........................................................................................................ 2

Provision of Reasons for Decisions ....................................................................................... 3

Principle of a Fair Trial .......................................................................................................... 4

The Crown as a Model Litigant ............................................................................................. 5

Right to a Fair Trial Recognised in HR Legislation............................................................... 6

NSW Court System: An Overview ........................................................................................ 7

Supreme Court NSW .......................................................................................................... 7

Industrial Relations Commission and Industrial Court of NSW ........................................ 7

District Court of NSW ........................................................................................................ 8

Local Court of NSW ........................................................................................................... 8

Case Management ..................................................................................................................... 9

Justice Delayed is Justice Denied........................................................................................... 9

Costs ..................................................................................................................................... 11

Litigation Costs ................................................................................................................ 12

Caseload Management ......................................................................................................... 13

CPA & UCPR ................................................................................................................... 13

Managerial Judging .......................................................................................................... 14

Directions ............................................................................................................................. 15

Application of the CPA and the UCPR ................................................................................ 16

Ethical Requirements ........................................................................................................... 18

Practice Notes ....................................................................................................................... 19

Jurisdiction ............................................................................................................................... 21

Cross–Vesting Legislation ................................................................................................ 21

Limitation Periods ................................................................................................................... 23

Definition and Rationale ...................................................................................................... 23

Limitation Periods are Substantive Law .............................................................................. 24

Contract and Tort Limitation Periods in NSW .................................................................... 25

Personal Injury Limitations Periods in NSW ....................................................................... 25

Preliminary Discovery ............................................................................................................. 27

Preliminary Discovery for Identity or Whereabouts ............................................................ 27

Preliminary Discovery for Deciding Whether or Not to Commence Proceedings .............. 27

Procedure .............................................................................................................................. 28

Interim Preservation Orders ................................................................................................... 33

Power to grant interim injunctions ....................................................................................... 33

x District Court Act 1973 (NSW) s 46 ..................................................................... 33

- Gives power to the District Court to grant injunctions, including interlocutory injunctions,  in  “actions”  as  defined  in  s  44 .................................................................. 33

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Interim Injunctions ............................................................................................................... 34

Freezing Orders (Mareva Injunction) ................................................................................... 34

Practice Note SC Gen 14 - Supreme Court – Freezing/Mareva Orders ........................... 37

Search Orders (Anton Piller Orders) .................................................................................... 40

Practice Note SC Gen 13 Search/Anton Piller Orders ..................................................... 40

Alternatives to Litigation ........................................................................................................ 47

Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 47

Alternative Dispute Resolution ........................................................................................ 47

Growth of ADR ................................................................................................................ 47

Issues with ADR ............................................................................................................... 48

Types of ADR Processes ...................................................................................................... 52

Negotiation ........................................................................................................................... 53

Positional v Interest-Based Negotiation ........................................................................... 54

Role of the Law in Interest-Based Negotiation ................................................................ 54

Mediation ............................................................................................................................. 55

Why Choose Mediation? .................................................................................................. 56

Comparison Between Negotiation and Mediation............................................................ 57

Role of the Lawyer ........................................................................................................... 57

Compulsory Mediation ..................................................................................................... 57

Ripeness of a Dispute for Mediation ................................................................................ 61

Mediation Process ................................................................................................................ 61

Preparing for a Mediation ................................................................................................. 62

Underlying Benefits of Prelim Conference ...................................................................... 63

Challenges for the Future Regarding Prelim Processes.................................................... 63

Role of the Position Paper in the Prelim Processes .......................................................... 63

Reframing the Position Paper ........................................................................................... 64

Advocacy at Mediation ........................................................................................................ 65

Understanding the Mediation Process and Ensuring that the Client Understands It ........ 66

Understanding the Roles That a Lawyer Can Play at Mediation ..................................... 66

Understanding  the  Dispute  and  Client’s  Interest  and  Needs ............................................ 66

Assisting the Client to Seek Lateral Resolution of the Dispute ....................................... 66

Advising the Client of the Likely Best and Worst Outcomes .......................................... 67

Preparing  the  Client  for  the  ‘End  Game’  of  Mediation .................................................... 67

Engaging in appropriate advocacy at the mediation ......................................................... 67

Arbitration ............................................................................................................................ 68

Advantages of Arbitration ................................................................................................ 69

Disadvantages of Arbitration ............................................................................................ 70

Compulsory Arbitration .................................................................................................... 71

Commercial Arbitration Act 2010 (NSW) (Voluntary Arbitration) ................................. 72

Compulsory Referral to a Referee .................................................................................... 74

Enforceability of Agreements to use ADR .......................................................................... 75

Settlements Negotiation Privilege .......................................................................................... 77

Litigation or ADR?.................................................................................................................... 81

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Continuing Role for Litigation ............................................................................................. 81

Application and Development of the Law ........................................................................ 81

Procedural Protections ...................................................................................................... 82

Urgent Relief .................................................................................................................... 82

Compelling Disclosure of Information ............................................................................. 84

State Enforcement Mechanisms ....................................................................................... 84

Broader View of Justice ....................................................................................................... 85

What is Justice? ................................................................................................................ 85

Access to Justice Movement & Justice Definition ........................................................... 86

Justice Beyond Courts ...................................................................................................... 86

Capacity of Court-Based Adjudication to Deliver Justice................................................ 87

Costs & Security for Costs ....................................................................................................... 89

Proportionality of Costs ....................................................................................................... 89

Duties of Litigants ................................................................................................................ 90

Costs ..................................................................................................................................... 90

Lawyers and Costs ............................................................................................................... 91

Parties and Costs .................................................................................................................. 95

Solicitor and Client Costs ................................................................................................. 95

Party and Party Costs ........................................................................................................ 95

Costs Follow the Event (Usual Costs Order) ................................................................... 97

Specific Costs Orders ........................................................................................................... 98

No Order as to Costs ......................................................................................................... 98

Costs of the Day ............................................................................................................... 98

Costs Thrown Away ......................................................................................................... 98

Costs in any Event ............................................................................................................ 98

Costs in the Cause ............................................................................................................ 98

Security for Costs: ................................................................................................................ 98

Security for Costs Under Inherent Jurisdiction .............................................................. 101

Funding Litigation .................................................................................................................. 103

Future of Litigation Funding in Australia .......................................................................... 104

Litigation Funding and Access to Justice ....................................................................... 105

Litigation Funders Market .............................................................................................. 106

Emerging Opportunities for Funders .............................................................................. 106

Regulation of Litigation Funders in Australia ................................................................ 107

Future of Regulation ....................................................................................................... 108

Lawyers and Litigation: A Pathway Out to Wealth and Fame? ......................................... 108

Contradictions of a Profession ........................................................................................ 108

Ascendancy of Economic Values ................................................................................... 108

New Paradigm ................................................................................................................ 109

New Challenges .............................................................................................................. 110

The Future ...................................................................................................................... 110

The Future of Pro Bono ...................................................................................................... 111

Pro Bono Today .............................................................................................................. 111

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Why Lawyers Act Pro Bono ........................................................................................... 112

Relationship with Legal Aid ........................................................................................... 112

How Much is Done? ....................................................................................................... 112

Key Providers ................................................................................................................. 113

Engaging with Dispute Resolution ................................................................................. 113

Litigation Barriers .......................................................................................................... 113

Alternative Dispute Resolution ...................................................................................... 114

Offers of Compromise and Calderbank Letters .................................................................... 117

Offers of Compromise Under the UCPR ........................................................................... 117

Effect of New Rules ....................................................................................................... 118

Calderbank Offers .............................................................................................................. 118

Basic Rule as to Cost ...................................................................................................... 118

Policy and Purpose ......................................................................................................... 119

Calderbank Offers and Indemnity Costs ........................................................................ 119

Genuine Compromise ..................................................................................................... 119

Rejection of Offer Must be Unreasonable ...................................................................... 120

Usual Form of a Calderbank Offer ................................................................................. 120

Types of Offers ............................................................................................................... 121

Calderbank Offers v Rule Offers .................................................................................... 122

Causes of Action (Res Judicata) ............................................................................................ 125

Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 125

Cause of Action Estoppel ................................................................................................... 126

Issue Estoppel ..................................................................................................................... 126

Merger in Judgment ........................................................................................................... 127

Anshun Estoppel ................................................................................................................. 128

Pleadings ................................................................................................................................ 133

Originating Process ............................................................................................................ 133

Appearance ......................................................................................................................... 134

Pleadings ............................................................................................................................ 135

Material Facts ................................................................................................................. 137

Evidence ......................................................................................................................... 138

No Conclusions of Law as Material Facts ...................................................................... 138

Surprise ........................................................................................................................... 138

Verification ..................................................................................................................... 139

Particulars ........................................................................................................................... 139

Particulars and Evidence ................................................................................................ 141

Required Particulars ....................................................................................................... 142

Striking Out Pleadings ....................................................................................................... 142

Pleadings that Cause Prejudice, Embarrassment or Delay ............................................. 143

Pleadings that Do Not Disclose a Reasonable Cause of Action ..................................... 143

Service of Documents............................................................................................................ 145

Service of Documents Generally........................................................................................ 145

Service of Originating Process ........................................................................................... 145

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Personal Service ................................................................................................................. 146

Service Constituting Personal Service ............................................................................... 148

Service by Agreement, Acknowledgment or Undertaking ................................................ 148

Acceptance of Service by a Solicitor ................................................................................. 149

Substituted and Informal Service ....................................................................................... 149

Confirmation of Informal Service ...................................................................................... 151

Waiver of Objection to Service .......................................................................................... 151

Service Beyond the Jurisdiction ......................................................................................... 151

Service Outside NSW but Within AUS ............................................................................. 151

Service Overseas ................................................................................................................ 153

UCPR PT 11 ................................................................................................................... 153

Service by Private Means - UCPR Pt 11 (Division 1) ................................................... 153

Service by Diplomatic Channels – UCPR Pt 11 (Division 2) ........................................ 155

Service Overseas: Under the Hague Convention ........................................................... 157

Client Legal Privilege (CLP) .................................................................................................... 159

Rationale for Client Legal Privilege................................................................................... 159

Dominant Purpose Test to Determine Client Legal Privilege ............................................ 159

Loss of Client Privilege ...................................................................................................... 165

Representative Proceedings (Class Actions) ........................................................................ 173

Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 173

Commencing a Class Action .............................................................................................. 173

Seven of More Persons ................................................................................................... 174

Claims Against the Same Person .................................................................................... 174

Same, Similar or Related Circumstances ....................................................................... 174

Substantial Common Issue of Law or Fact ..................................................................... 175

Class Action Proceedings ............................................................................................... 175

Discontinuance and Subgroups .......................................................................................... 176

Discontinuing a Class Action ......................................................................................... 176

Sub-Groups and Individual Issues .................................................................................. 177

Class Actions in Australia: (Still) a work in progress ........................................................ 177

Group Definition and the Right to Opt Out........................................................................ 178

Right to Opt Out ............................................................................................................. 178

Reconciling Litigation Funding and the Opt Out Group Definition .............................. 179

The Closed Class ............................................................................................................ 179

Settlement ........................................................................................................................... 180

Shareholder Class Actions in Australia – The Perfect Storm? ....................................... 180

Requirements for Court Approval .................................................................................. 181

Discovery ............................................................................................................................... 183

Discovery of Documents .................................................................................................... 183

Problems caused by the discovery process ..................................................................... 183

Improving the Discovery Process .............................................................................. 185

Discovery Process .......................................................................................................... 186

Practice note SC EQ 11: Disclosure in the Equity Division .......................................... 189

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Implied Undertaking ............................................................................................................. 193

An Implied Undertaking an Obligation of Substantive Law (Hearne v Street) ................. 193

Third Party Obligations (Hearne v Street) ......................................................................... 194

Supreme Court Practice Note Gen 2 .................................................................................. 194

Discovery and Technology .................................................................................................... 197

Scope of Discovery ......................................................................................................... 199

Accessible/Inaccessible ESI ........................................................................................... 199

Format of ESI ................................................................................................................. 199

Metadata ......................................................................................................................... 200

Finding Responsive ESI ................................................................................................. 200

Co-operation – The New Paradigm ................................................................................ 201

Electronically Stored Information and Social Media ......................................................... 201

ESI v Paper-Based Information ...................................................................................... 201

Cloud Computing ........................................................................................................... 202

Social Media ................................................................................................................... 202

ESI and Discovery .......................................................................................................... 202

Social Media and Discovery ........................................................................................... 203

Obtaining Access to ESI and Social Media .................................................................... 203

Authenticity and Reliability ........................................................................................... 204

Subpoenas and Interrogatories ............................................................................................ 205

Subpoena to Produce .......................................................................................................... 205

Setting Aside a Subpoena ............................................................................................... 205

Interrogatories .................................................................................................................... 209

Witness Preparation & Affidavits ......................................................................................... 211

Witness Preparation............................................................................................................ 211

Ethical and Effective Witness Preparation ..................................................................... 211

Affidavits ............................................................................................................................ 215

Legal Requirements for Affidavits ................................................................................. 216

Oaths Act 1900 (NSW) .................................................................................................. 216

Drafting Affidavits ......................................................................................................... 219

False Swearing ................................................................................................................ 221

Practical Litigation in the Federal Court of Australia: Affidavits & False Swearing .... 223

Practical Litigation in the Federal Court of Australia: Affidavits & Written or Oral Evidence. ........................................................................................................................ 225

Oral or Written Evidence ................................................................................................ 225

Concluding Proceedings ........................................................................................................ 227

Summary Disposal ............................................................................................................. 227

Summary Judgment ............................................................................................................ 227

Default Judgment ............................................................................................................... 228

Setting Aside a Default Judgment .................................................................................. 229

Summary Dismissal............................................................................................................ 230

No Reasonable Prospect of Success ................................................................................... 232

Want of Prosecution ........................................................................................................... 233

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Introduction to Civil Procedure Procedural Law Procedural  law  is  “rules  which  are  directed  to  governing  ir  regulating  the  mode  or  conduct  of  ct  proceedings.”  (McKain v RW Miller & Co (SA) (1991)). It is the mode or method of

enforcing a right. Procedural law is differentiated from substantive law in that procedural law regulates the way in which substantive rights and obligations are claimed and enforced without impacting on the definition of those particular substantive rights.

The purpose of procedural law is to provide rules to facilitate dispute resolution.

Guiding Principle for Procedure The guiding pple is derived from s 56 CPA – to facilitate the just, quick and chea resolution

of the real issues in the proceedings. This is supplemented by s 60 – resolving issues in such a way that the cost to the parties is proportionate to the importance and complexity of the

subject matter in dispute.

Adversarial System of Litigation The adversarial system of litigation has been criticised on the grounds that it prevents access to justice due to its cost (public and private) and delay. It has also been criticised for

being unjust, unequal and producing inaccurate results.

Victorian Law Reform Commission, Civil Justice Review: Report 14 (2008) Resource Allocation and distribution of civil and criminal cases

x Funding is a critical factor affecting the operation of the civil justice system

x Apart from its impact on the level of judicial and other resources, funding will influence the quality of judicial and other court personnel e.g. judicial personnel earn

less than those practicing privately; there needs to be incentives

x According to the Productivity Commission, in the 05-06 financial years, recurrent

expenditure on court administration for civil courts in VIC amounted to $86.3 million. In the same period, income derived through the civil courts in VIC, excluding

fines amounted to $33.9 million. In recent times there have been increasing calls for

users of the court system to pay more for the services provided, including in commercial disputes between resourceful commercial entities

x Access to justice is a qualified right. Governments cannot be expected to provide unlimited publicly funded resources for the adjudication of disputes, particularly

private dispute which do not have significant interest beyond those of the parties

x From a policy perspective, there is a need to balance the governments duty to use

public funds responsibly and the obligation of parties to bear some responsibility for resolving their differences

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x Requirements of effectiveness, efficiency and fairness are easily translated to the

provision of court dispute resolution

x Court adjudication is effective if it determines claims with reasonable accuracy,

within a reasonable time and with proportionate investment of litigant and public

resources

x Adjudication is fair if the system ensures that its resources and facilities are justly

distributed between all litigants seeking court help and between present and future

litigants

x Generally accepted goals of the civil justice system cannot be pursued without some

moderation, or pursued by unfair means or by exhausting every avenue of inquiry

Cards on the Table Approach to Litigation Baulderstone Hornibrook Engineering v Gordian Runoff [2008] NSWCA 243 Allsop P

x The  need  for  clarity,  precision,  and  openness  in  the  conduct  of  litigation  …  flows  most  clearly  from  the  statutory  duty  of  a  party  …  in  civil  proceedings  to  assit  the  ct  to  further the overriding purpose to facilitate just, quick and cheap resolution fo the real issues in dispute

x It cannot be emphasised too strongly that it is the responsibility of the parties

through their legal representatives to exercise a degree of cooperation to express

the issues for trial before and during the trial

x Such cooperation can now be taken as an aspect of modern civil procedure in the

running of any civil litigation

x This requirement is mandated under statute (Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW)

x Encompasses the requirement to be clear and precise – extends to all aspects of the engagement  in  the  Court’s  processes

Principle of Open Justice Essential to the legal system, as Spigelman said in John Fairfax v District Court of NSW:

“The  conduct  of  proceedings  in  public…  is an essential quality of an Australian court of

justice.  There  is  no  inherent  power  of  the  court  to  exclude  the  public”

Qualified in R v Richards & Bijkerk:

“Court  proceedings  are  conducted  in  public  and  exposed  to  the  cathartic  glare  of  publicity.  Publicity is one of the great protections against the exercise of arbitrary power and a

reassurance  that  justice  is  administered  fairly  and  impartially.”

The ct can depart from open justice in various ways including:

x Prohibition of publication of all or part of proceedings

x Video-link for witnesses

x Pseudonym orders

x Suppression orders

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The  power  to  make  orders  to  ‘close’  justice  is  an  inherent  power  of  a  superior  court  and  in  statutory courts the power to make orders that depart from the open justice principle can

be implies as necessary to proper function of the ct. Considered in John Fairfax as only to be

permitted  when  “really  necessary  to  secure  the  proper  administration  of  justice”.   This has been interpreted to mean that:

“The  basis  is  that  if  the  kind  of  order proposed is not made, the result will be that particular consequences will flow that those consequences are unacceptable, and that therefore the power to make orders which will prevent them is to be implied as necessary to the proper

function of the court”  (Mahoney  JA  in  John Fairfax).

Hogan v Hinch (2011) 275 ALR 408 Hinch, a radio broadcaster was responsible for a website (HINCH.net). Charged with 5

counts if contravening three suppression orders made under s 42 of Serious Sex Offenders

Monitoring Act 2005 (Vic). Suppression orders prohibited publication of any information that might enable the identification of certain convicted sex offenders, who were the

subject of post-custodial extended supervisions

Hinch claimed s 42 was invalid because

x The jurisdiction  or  power  conferred  by  it  diminished  the  ‘institutional  integrity’  of  the courts, contrary to the implied requirement of Ch. III of the constitution and;

x The prohibitions made under s 42 were contrary to an implication derived from Ch. II

of the Constitution that all courts must be open to the public Held: appeal dismissed. It is a common law corollary of open-court principle that absent any

restriction ordered by the court, anybody may publish fair and accurate report of proceedings. There are established exceptions to the general rule that judicial proceedings

shall be conducted in public and that category is not closed to the parliament. As such, argument fails – this would limit the legislative power of parliament, it indicates that a

federal law would not deny an essential characteristic of a court exercising federal

jurisdiction.

Provision of Reasons for Decisions Wainhou v NSW (2011) 243 CLR 181 Plaintiff, member and former president of Hells Angels, sought a declaration that the Crimes (Criminal Organisations Control) Act 2009 (NSW) was invalid. Part 2 of the Act provided that

the  Commissioner  of  Police  may  apply  to  an  “eligible  judge”  of  the  Supreme  Court  for  a  declaration  that  a  particular  organisation  is  a  “declared  organisation”  for  the purposes of

the Act if satisfied that:

x Members of the organisation associate for the purpose of organising, facilitating,

supporting, or engaging in serious criminal activity, and

x The organisation represents a risk to public safety and order in the State

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Argued that this contravened the open court principle

Held: act invalid. A court, which does not give reasons for, a final decision for important

interlocutory decisions withholds from public scrutiny that which is at the heart of the

judicial function, etc. Act is invalid as it undermines the open justice principle in a seemingly

arbitrary fashion (minority). Act imposes no duty on the judge to provide reasons or grounds when deciding applications to make or revoke a declaration, and for that reason the Act is invalid (majority).

Principle of a Fair Trial Spigelman,  “The  Truth  can  Cost  too  Much:  The  principle  of  a  fair  trial”  (2004)

x It is desirable that the requirement of fairness be separately identified since it

transcends the content of more particularised legal rules and principles and provides

the ultimate rationale and touchstone of the rules and practices which the common law requires to be observed

x In  AUS  there  is  no  such  “right  to  a  fair  trial”  enshrined  in  any  concrete  or  written  constitutional sense. Instead it is a pple.

x In a principle base system, significance and weight to be given to fair trial considerations will vary from case to case, perhaps to a greater degree than a rights

based system

x An inherent form of protection of procedural rights can be found in chapter II

although, there is no clear majority decision to that effect

x Obligation to the pursuit of natural justice applies with particular force to judicial

proceedings

x Trial procedure including the imposition of an onus of proof and the differentiation

between civil and criminal proceedings reflects an understanding of what fairness

requires in the particular circumstances

Stead v State Government Insurance Commission (1986) 161 CLR 141 Action for negligence arising out of a motor accident. Issue was whether the plaintiff developed a neurotic condition from the accident. Whether the accident resulting from the

defendant’s  negligence  was  the  cause  or  a  material  factor  contributing  to  the  condition  was  a major issue ∴ expert evidence was relied on. Trial judge directed the plaintiff so as not to

address the evidence given by expert in his closing argument, however when delivering his

judgment, his Honour referred to that evidence. Appealed  to  SCSA,  appeal  was  dismissed  because  “the  enquiry whether a miscarriage of justice has occurred involves asking whether the event said to cause a miscarriage could

have  made  any  difference  to  result.”

Appealed to HCA. Held: new trial. Not every departure from the rules of natural justice at trial will entitled

aggrieved party to a new trial on appeal – requires context/gravity etc. Where the denial of natural justice affects the entitlement of a party to make submissions on an issue of fact,

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especially when the issue is whether the evidence of a witness should be accepted, it is

certainly  questionable  whether  the  requirements  of  natural  justice  would’ve  led  to  a  different outcome. It is necessary to establish that had the trial been properly conducted, a

different  result  would’ve  been  reached. Mastronardi v NSW [2007] NSWCA 54 Plaintiff was a prisoner at Silverwater, seriously assaulted in his cell by fellow prisoners and

brought a case of negligence against the state. Gave evidence at trial that he had been assaulted, trial judge rejected his testimony.  Appealed  on  the  grounds  that  a  “substantial  wrong or miscarriage had thereby been occasioned to allow for the ordering of a new trial

pursuant to Supreme Court Rules Pt. 51 r 23 (UCPR r 51.53)

Held: retrial. May be properly said that the Appellant did not have a fair trial according to

law.  The  case  lacked  evidence  of  “a  hearing  where  the  evidence  given  is  to  be  given  proper,  genuine  and  realistic  consideration  in  the  decision  subsequently  to  be  made.”  Because  the  appellant  did  not  have  a  trial  “untainted  by  material  factual  errors,”  he  is  entitled  to  a  re-

trial. Appellant was unsuccessful in trial and the later appeal.

The Crown as a Model Litigant NSW Model Litigant Policy for Civil Litigation Approved for adoption on 8 July 2008 The Obligation

x The State and its agencies must act as a model litigant in the conduct of litigation

Nature of Obligation

x Must act promptly

x Must pay legitimate claims without litigation, including partial settlements, or

interim payments

x Must act consistently

x Must endeavour to avoid litigation wherever possible

x Must keep costs to a minimum

x Must not take advantage of under-resourced claimants with a legitimate claim (oh

sure, I bet the NEVER do this)

x Must not rely on technical defences unless the interests of the State or an agency

would be prejudiced by the failure to comply with a particular requirement

x Must not undertake or pursue appeals unless reasonable prospects for success

x Must apologise where the state/their lawyers have acted wrongfully

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Right to a Fair Trial Recognised in HR Legislation

ICCPR Article 14

All persons shall be equal before the courts and tribunals. In the determination of any criminal charge against him, or of his rights and obligations in a suit at law, everyone shall be entitled to a fair and public hearing by a competent, independent and impartial tribunal

established by law. The press and the public may be excluded from all or part of a trial for

reasons of morals, public order (ordre public) or national security in a democratic society, or

when the interest of the private lives of the parties so requires, or to the extent strictly necessary in the opinion of the court in special circumstances where publicity would prejudice the interests of justice; but any judgement rendered in a criminal case or in a suit

at law shall be made public except where the interest of juvenile persons otherwise requires or the proceedings concern matrimonial disputes or the guardianship of children.

Human Rights Act (2004) ACT s 21

21 Fair Trial

(1) Everyone has the right to have criminal charges, and rights and obligations recognised by

law, decided by a competent, independent and impartial court or tribunal after a fair and public hearing.

(2) However, the press and public may be excluded from all or part of a trial— (a) To protect morals, public order or national security in a democratic society; or (b) If the interest of the private lives of the parties require the exclusion; or

(c) If, and to the extent that, the exclusion is strictly necessary, in special circumstances of

the case, because publicity would otherwise prejudice the interests of justice.

(3) But each judgment in a criminal or civil proceeding must be made public unless the

interest of a child requires that the judgment not be made public.

Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006 (VIC) s 24 24 Fair hearing

(1) A person charged with a criminal offence or a party to a civil proceeding has the right to have the charge or proceeding decided by a competent, independent and impartial court or tribunal after a fair and public hearing.

(2) Despite subsection (1), a court or tribunal may exclude members of media organisations or other persons or the general public from all or part of a hearing if permitted to do so by a law other than this Charter.

Note to s. 24(2) substituted by No. 58/2013 s. 37. Note: See Part 5 of the Open Courts Act 2013.

(3) All judgments or decisions made by a court or tribunal in a criminal or civil proceeding must be made public unless the best interests of a child otherwise requires or a law other than this Charter otherwise permits.

Page 13: Contents · commercial disputes between resourceful commercial entities x Access to justice is a qualified right. Governments cannot be expected to provide unlimited publicly funded

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Civil Justice Review – Human Rights Considerations VLC (2008) Some areas where there may be tension/conflict between procedural reform and human

rights protections include:

x Limitations on expert evidence

x Limitations on publicly funded legal services

x Excessive court fees and charges

x Limitations on calling witnesses

x Limitations on time allowed for hearings/cross-examination

x Limitations on proceedings in public

x Compulsory referral to mediation/arbitration

x Cases where hearings are not held within a reasonable time

x Nature of the assistance required to be given to self-represented litigants

x Restrictions on the right to a final hearing, including provisions for striking out claims

or defences

x Economic constraints on the right to a hearing, including security for costs

x Paper-based vs. oral processes

x Applications for adjournment

x Disclosure obligations and discovery

x Exclusion of evidence

x Requirements relating to “proportionality”

x Judicial appointment, tenure and bias

x Funding of civil system

NSW Court System: An Overview Supreme Court NSW

x Highest Court in NSW – operates under the Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW) & the

Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW)

x Unlimited civil jurisdiction and deals with the most serious criminal matters

x Common law division deals with civil, criminal and administrative law matters where

more than $750,000 is claimed

x Equity division deals with cases involving commercial law, corporations law, equity,

trusts, probate and matters pursuant to family law legislation

x Two appellate divisions: the Court of Appeal and the Court of Criminal Appeal

x Court of Appeal consists of judges who hear civil appeals

x Court of Criminal Appeal hears appeals arising from criminal matters from the Supreme Court, District Court, Land and Environment Court and some tribunals

x Appeal bench is usually three justices, full bench = 5

Industrial Relations Commission and Industrial Court of NSW x Established under the Industrial Relations Act 1996