Despot v Registrar General

In *Despot v Registrar General*, the applicant sought an extension of time to file a notice of appeal against a decision of the Registrar General. The application was heard by Meagher JA in the Court of Appeal of New South Wales.

The central legal issue before the Court was whether it was in the interests of justice to grant the applicant an extension of time to file the notice of appeal, pursuant to rule 51.16 of the Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW). This rule governs the extension of time for filing notices of appeal.

Meagher JA considered the relevant factors for determining whether to grant an extension of time. While the specific reasons for the delay and the merits of the proposed appeal are not detailed in the provided text, the Court's decision to grant the extension indicates that the applicant satisfied the criteria for demonstrating that it was in the interests of justice to permit the late filing. The Court applied the principles governing the exercise of discretion under rule 51.16, which typically involves balancing the applicant's reasons for delay against any prejudice to the respondent and the overall merits of the appeal.

The Court ordered that time for the filing and service of the notice of appeal be extended to 21 February 2012, with the costs of the application to extend time being reserved.