Beling v Legal Services Commissioner

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF VICTORIA Not Restricted

AT MELBOURNE

COMMON LAW DIVISION

JUDICIAL REVIEW AND APPEALS LIST

S CI 2014 06088

JOEL LORENSZ BELING	Plaintiff
v
LEGAL SERVICES COMMISSIONER	Defendant

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JUDGE:	DERHAM AsJ
WHERE HELD:	Melbourne
DATE OF HEARING:	3 March 2015
DATE OF JUDGMENT:	22 April 2016
CASE MAY BE CITED AS:	Beling v Legal Services Commissioner
MEDIUM NEUTRAL CITATION:	[2016] VSC 180

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JUDICIAL REVIEW AND APPEALS – Order 56 – Application for orders in the nature of mandamus and prohibition by solicitor being investigated by the defendant under Part 4.4 of the Legal Profession Act 2004 – Whether application for orders in the nature of mandamus and prohibition available against the defendant on the facts – Orders not available.

PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – Application by defendant for summary judgment under r 23.01 of the Supreme Court (General Civil Procedure) Rules 2015, s 63 of the Civil Procedure Act 2010 or pursuant to the inherent jurisdiction of the Court – Application Granted.

PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – Application by plaintiff for leave to discontinue the proceeding under r 25.03 on the basis that the defendant’s actions have rendered the proceeding useless – Application for the defendant to pay plaintiff’s costs on discontinuance – Operation of r 63.15 of the Rules – Application refused.

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APPEARANCES:	Counsel	Solicitors
The Plaintiff appeared in person
For the Defendant	Ms L Kirwan of Counsel	Ms Tina Stagliano, Solicitor of the Legal Services Commissioner’s Office

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction......................................................................................................................................... 1

Background......................................................................................................................................... 1

The Originating Motion............................................................................................................... 6

The Plaintiff’s Affidavits.............................................................................................................. 7

Applicable law.................................................................................................................................. 10

Judicial Review Under Order 56 ‑ Certiorari, Prohibition and Mandamus....................... 10

The relevant provisions of the Legal Profession Act............................................................. 12

Principles Relevant to the Summary Judgment Application............................................... 14

Discontinuance............................................................................................................................ 16

Summary Dismissal ‑ Submissions and Consideration........................................................... 19

Mandamus................................................................................................................................... 20

The Submissions Ground................................................................................................. 20

The Banks and Money Ground................................................................................................. 21

The Further Amended Statement of Claim Ground.............................................................. 22

The Legal Basis of the Charges Ground.................................................................................. 22

The Compliments Ground......................................................................................................... 22

The Failure of the Complainants to Raise Concerns Ground.............................................. 23

The Attempts to Renegotiate the Retainer Ground............................................................... 23

The Complainants Unreliability and Medical Condition Grounds.................................... 24

The Inconsistent Advice Ground.............................................................................................. 24

The Discovery Grounds............................................................................................................. 24

Abuse of Power Grounds.......................................................................................................... 25

Prohibition Grounds................................................................................................................... 26

The Questions Sought to be Answered................................................................................... 27

Discontinuance ‑ Submissions and Consideration................................................................... 28

Conclusion......................................................................................................................................... 32

HIS HONOUR:

Introduction

1. The defendant applies by summons filed on 20 February 2015 to dismiss the proceeding under:

(a) rule 23.01 of the Supreme Court (General Civil Procedure) Rules 2005 (‘Rules’);

(b) sections 62 and 63 of the Civil Procedure Act 2010 (Vic) (‘the CPA’); or

(c)        the inherent jurisdiction of the Court.

1. The plaintiff, on the other hand, applies for leave to discontinue the proceeding.  The plaintiff purported to apply for leave to discontinue the proceedings by filing a Notice of Motion on 26 February 2015.  In that Notice he also applies for the costs of the proceeding against the Commissioner.

1. It is clear therefore that…