Jimenez v Watson

[2021] NSWCA 55

Court of Appeal

Supreme Court

New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation:

Jimenez v Watson [2021] NSWCA 55

Hearing dates:

8 March 2021

Decision date:

09 April 2021

Before:

Macfarlan JA at [1]
White JA at [2]

Decision:

The application for leave to appeal is dismissed with costs.

Catchwords:

APPEALS – Leave to appeal – No arguable case – Solicitors – Advocate’s immunity

Legislation Cited:

Crimes Act 1900, s 91H(2)

Crimes (Appeal and Review) Act 2001, s 78

Cases Cited:

Application by Alex Jimenez under s 78 Crimes (Appeal and Review) Act 2001 [2016] NSWSC 635; Attwells v Jackson LalicLawyers Pty Ltd (2016) 259 CLR 1; [2016] HCA 16

D’Orta-Ekenaike v Victoria Legal Aid (2005) 223 CLR 1; [2005] HCA 12

Ea v Diaconu [2020] NSWCA 127

Giannarelli v Wraith (1988) 165 CLR 543; [1988] HCA 52

Jimenez v R [2017] NSWCCA 1

Jimenez v Watson [2020] NSWDC 419

Kendirjian v Lepore (2017) 259 CLR 275; [2017] HCA 13

Malec v JC Hutton Pty Ltd (1990) 169 CLR 638; [1990] HCA 20

Mal Owen Consulting Pty Ltd v Ashcroft (2018) 97 NSWLR 1163; [2018] NSWCA 135

Neil v Nott (1994) 68 ALJR 509

Pearce v The Queen (1998) 194 CLR 610; [1998] HCA 57

Rogers v The Queen (1994) 181 CLR 251; [1994] HCA 42

Sellars v Adelaide Petroleum NL (1994) 179 CLR 332; [1994] HCA 4

Spencer v Commonwealth (2010) 241 CLR 118; [2010] HCA 28

Tabet v Gett (2010) 240 CLR 537 [2010] HCA 12

Wickstead v Browne (1992) 30 NSWLR 1; [1992] NSWCA 272

Category:

Principal judgment

Parties:

Alexander Jimenez (applicant)
Christopher Watson (respondent)

Representation:

Counsel:
Applicant in person
Mr N.J. Owens SC with A.L. Oakes (respondent)

Solicitors:
Applicant in person
Yeldham Price O'Brien Lusk (respondent)

File Number(s):

2020/244121

Publication restriction:

Nil

 Decision under appeal 

Court or tribunal:

District Court of New South Wales

Jurisdiction:

Civil

Citation:

Jimenez v Watson [2020] NSWDC 419

Date of Decision:

28 July 2020

Before:

P. Taylor SC DCJ

File Number(s):

2019/152227

judgment   

1. MACFARLAN JA: I agree with White JA that the High Court decisions in Giannarelli v Wraith, D’Orta-Ekenaike and Attwells to which he refers indicate that the respondent in the present case is protected by advocate’s immunity. I therefore agree that the application for leave to appeal should be dismissed with costs

2. WHITE JA: The applicant sued his former solicitor in the District Court for negligence in the provision of legal services in connection with his prosecution on a charge of possession of child pornography. The applicant was ultimately acquitted of the charge by the Court of Criminal Appeal after a referral of the matter to that Court by Garling J, pursuant to s 78 of the Crimes (Appeal and Review) Act 2001 (Application by Alex Jimenez under s 78 Crimes (Appeal and Review) Act 2001 [2016] NSWSC 635; Jimenez v R [2017] NSWCCA 1).

3. The applicant was initially convicted of the charge…