Homsi v Pasquale (No. 3)

[2018] NSWDC 279

District Court

New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation:	Homsi v Pasquale (No. 3) [2018] NSWDC 279
Hearing dates:	27 September 2018
Date of orders:	05 October 2018
Decision date:	05 October 2018
Jurisdiction:	Civil
Before:	Gibson DCJ
Decision:	(1) Plaintiff pay the respondent’s costs of the appearances on 22 and 24 May 2018 in relation to the notice to produce served by the respondent, Mr Jason Di Michiel trading as Premier Compensation Lawyers Pty Ltd. (2) Application by the respondent, Mr Jason Di Michiel trading as Premier Compensation Lawyers Pty Ltd, for costs of the motion filed on 27 February 2018 dismissed, with each party to pay his, her or its costs of the application, including the hearing on 28 September 2018.
Catchwords:	COSTS – unsuccessful application for costs against the solicitor for the defendant – whether costs should follow the event – whether the solicitor’s conduct “invited” the application - “disentitling conduct” – each party to pay own costs of the application
Legislation Cited:	Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), ss 56 – 62, 98 and 99 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), rr 42.1, 42.34 and 42.35
Cases Cited:	Arian v Nguyen [2001] NSWCA 5 Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Limited v Jaeger (District Court of New South Wales, 23 August 2017) Cha v Oh (No 13) (2009) 9 DCLR (NSW) 67 Cretazzo v Lombardi (1975) 11 SASR 1 Homsi v Nabulsi [2017] NSWDC 16 Homsi v Pasquale [2017] NSWDC 371 Homsi v Pasquale (No. 2) [2018] NSWDC 276 Mahenthirarasa v State Rail Authority of New South Wales (No 2) (2008) 72 NSWLR 273 Moseley v AB (No 2) [2017] NSWSC 1812 Ritter v Godfrey [1920] 2 KB 47 Ryde Developments Pty Ltd v Property Investors Alliance Pty Ltd (No 2) [2018] NSWCA 40 Tomanovic v Global Mortgage Equity Corp Pty Ltd (No 2) (2011) 288 ALR 385 Waterman v Gerling (Costs) [2005] NSWSC 1111
Texts Cited:	P. Taylor, Dr E. Elms, M. Meek SC, The Hon Justice G. Bellew, Ritchie's Uniform Civil Procedure NSW (LexisNexis, Australia)
Category:	Costs
Parties:	Plaintiff/Applicant: Souraya Homsi Defendant: Felli Pasquale Respondent: Jason Di Michiel
Representation:	Counsel: Plaintiff/Applicant: Mr Purkiss Defendant: Mr A J J Renshaw Respondent: Ms A Horvath   Solicitors: Plaintiff/Applicant: Drexler & Partners Litigation and Compensation Lawyers Defendant: Hall & Wilcox Lawyers Respondent: Kennedys (Australasia) Pty Ltd
File Number(s):	2016/200013
Publication restriction:	None

Judgment

The application before the court

1. In my judgment Homsi v Pasquale (No. 2) [2018] NSWDC 276, I dismissed a notice of motion seeking orders pursuant to ss 98 and 99 Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW) for the plaintiff’s former solicitor (hereafter “Mr Di Michiel”) to pay the costs of Drexler Litigation Lawyers including counsel fees and the defendant’s costs and disbursements on an indemnity basis. Mr Di Michiel now brings an application for costs of the unsuccessful motion.

A preliminary application by the plaintiff

2. As a preliminary matter, I note that Mr Purkiss, who appeared for the plaintiff, sought leave to withdraw from the proceedings.

3. I have already…