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Lamb v Cotogno

Lamb v Cotogno

Case [1987] HCA 47 13 October 1987

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AGLC: Lamb v Cotogno [1987] HCA 47
Case: [1987] HCA 47
Decision Date: 13 October 1987

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Citations

Lamb v Cotogno [1987] HCA 47

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Hosny v Victoria Racing Club [2012] VCC 661

Cases Citing This Decision

452

Stent v Attorney-General [2025] NZHC 3185
Citation 1 (Para 1)

…f Constable of the Cheshire Constabulary [1999] 1 WLR 662 (CA); Manga v Attorney-Genera l [2000] 2 NZLR 65 (HC). 56 Louis v Commonwealth of Australia (1987) 87 FLR 277 (ACTSC) at 28, and supported in State of South Australia v Lampard-Trevorrow [2010] SASC 56, (2010) 106 SASR 331 at [282].…
Meredith v State of New South Wales (No 5) [2025] NSWSC 1133
Citation 2

…7 CLR 574; [1993] HCA 48 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298; [1959] HCA 8 Lamb v Cotogno (1987) 164 CLR 1; [1987] HCA 47 Louis v Commonwealth (1987) 87 FLR 277 Marshall v Watson (1972) 124 CLR 640; [1972] HCA 27 McLaughlin v State of New South Wales [2023] NSWDC 525 McLaughlin v State of New South Wales (No. 2) […
FitzGerald v Foxes Lane (NSW) Pty Ltd [2025] NSWCA 212
Citation 3

…and are awarded as a punishment to the guilty, to deter similar conduct in the future and to reflect “detestation” for the action: Lamb v Cotogno [1987] HCA 47; 164 CLR 1, at 8. Exemplary damages are awarded rarely and not every finding of fault warrants an award: Lamb v Cotogno , at 6 [12]. Nonetheless, such da…
Moore v State of New South Wales [2025] NSWSC 1040
Citation 4 (Para 1)

…se and award of exemplary damages is to punish and deter the wrongdoer rather than compensating the injured person ( Lamb v Cotogno (1987) 164 CLR 1; [1987] HCA 47 at 8-9 per Mason CJ, Brennan, Deane, Dawson, and Gordon JJ);…
Irving v Pfingst (No 2) [2025] QSC 224
Citation 5 (Para 12)

…ourt is justified in aiming towards the upper limit of the wide range of damages which might conceivably be justified.” [17] Lamb v Cotogno (1987) 164 CLR 1 at 8. [18](2003) 57 NSWLR 496. [19]With whom Sheller JA and Nicholas J relevantly agreed. [20]Riley at [131].…
The Game Meats Company of Australia Pty Ltd v Farm Transparency International Ltd [2025] FCAFC 104
Citation 6 (Para 11)

…ion, there is no such principle. There is no necessary proportionality between the assessment of exemplary and compensatory damages: Lamb v Cotogno [1987] HCA 47; (1987) 164 CLR 1 ( Lamb v Cotogno ) at 9 (Mason CJ, Brennan, Deane, Dawson and Gaudron JJ), approving XL Petroleum (NSW) Pty Ltd v Caltex Oil (Austral…
JF v Oishi Teppanyaki & Café Pty Ltd [2025] QIRC 209
Citation 7

…General (NSW) (1987) 8 NSWLR 601 House v The King (1936) 55 CLR 499 Hughes (t/as Beesley and Hughes Lawyers) v Hill (2020) 277 FCR 511 Lamb v Cotogno (1987) 164 CLR 1 Neil v Lee [2024] QIRC 93 R v O'Dempsey (No 3) [2017] QSC 338 Richardson v Oracle Corporation Australia Pty Ltd (2014) 223 FCR 334 Scott v State of Q…
B P v K R [2025] SASC 58
Citation 8

…1 CLR 321; MBP (SA) Pty Ltd v Gogic (1991) 171 CLR 657; Wheeler v Page (1982) 31 SASR 1; Trevorrow v State of South Australia (No 6) [2008] SASC 4; Lamb v Cotogno (1987) 164 CLR 1; New South Wales v Riley [2003] NSWCA 208, considered.…
Napper v Stapleton [2025] FedCFamC2G 626
Citation 9 (Para 21)

…s of aggravated and exemplary damages at common law; Autodesk Inc v Yee (1996) 68 FCR 391 at 394 (Burchett J). The principle stated in Lamb v Cotongo [1987] HCA 47; (1987) 164 CLR 1 at 9 – 10, cited by Rares J at [114] is therefore applicable. 43 The objectives of an award of additional damages include deterrenc…
Mount v Dover Castle Metals Pty Ltd (Costs) [2025] FCA 402
Citation 10 (Para 17)

…Pty Ltd (1985) 155 CLR 448 at 471 (Brennan J), cited with approval by Mason CJ, Brennan, Deane, Dawson and Gaudron JJ in Lamb v Cotogno (1987) 164 CLR 1 at 9, although their Honours observed that the intended deterrence “extends beyond the actual wrongdoer and the exact nature of his wrongdoing”. Since the consider…
Lal v Royal Australasian College of Physicians [2025] FCA 348
Citation 11 (Para 24)

…e Respondents' actions, including fraud, misrepresentation, and coercion in forcing the Applicant to sign the Deed of Settlement ( Lamb v Cotogno (1987) 164 CLR 1). … 2.Injunctive Relief 2.1An order restraining the Respondents from engaging in further adverse actions against the Applicant, including enforcement of…
Northern Territory of Australia v Austral [2025] NTCA 3
Citation 12

…of Australia [2019] NTCA 1, Lacey v Attorney-General (Qld) (2011) 242 CLR 573, Lackersteen v Jones (1988) 92 FLR 6, Lamb v Cotogno (1987) 164 CLR 1, LO & Ors v Northern Territory of Australia (2017) 317 FLR 324, Minister for Immigration and Border Protection v SZVFW (2018) 264 CLR 541, New South Wales v Ibbett (20…
Newman v Whittington [2025] NSWSC 275
Citation 13 (Para 100)

…57 at [31]. They are awarded for injury to the plaintiff’s feelings caused by insult, humiliation and the like: Lamb v Cotogno (1987) 164 CLR 1, 8; [1987] HCA 47. That is, they are awarded when the harm done by the wrongful act was aggravated by the manner in which the act was done: Uren v John Fairfax (1966) 11…
APC v Mr B (No. 3) [2025] NSWSC 142
Citation 14

…eing awarded for injury to the plaintiff’s feelings caused by insult, humiliation and the like.”: Lamb v Cotogno (1987) 164 CLR 1 at 8; [1987] HCA 47. The injury compensated by an award of aggravated damages may be “intangible”: New South Wales v Ibbett (2006) 229 CLR 638; [2006] HCA 57 at [31]. (3) Their calcul…
Higgins v Pretorius [2025] ACTSC 64
Citation 15

…Skelton v Collins (1966) 115 CLR 94 Lamb v Cotogno (1987) 164 CLR 1 State of NSW v Ibbett [2005] NSWCA 445; 65 NSWLR 168 XL Petroleum (NSW) Pty Ltd v Caltex Oil (Australia) Pty Ltd (1985) 155 CLR 448 Gray v Motor Accident Commission (1998) 196 CLR 1 Cheng v Farjudi [2016] NSWCA 316; 93 NSWLR 95 Whitbread v Rail Cor…
Complainant 202258 v Southern Restaurants (VIC) Pty Ltd (Discrimination) [2025] ACAT 3
Citation 16 (Para 28)

…(rather than punitive) in nature, “awarded for injury to [an applicant’s] feelings caused by insult, humiliation and the like”: Lamb v Cotogno (1987) 164 CLR 1 at 8 (Mason CJ, Brennan, Deane, Dawson, Gaudron JJ). 524. Where appropriate, aggravated damages may be awarded as “[a]dditional compensation for the injure…
State of New South Wales v JR; State of New South Wales v Dickens; State of New South Wales v Jensen [2024] NSWCA 308
Citation 17

…lein v National Australia Bank Ltd [2016] VSCA 114 Lamb v Cotogno (1987) 164 CLR 1; [1987] HCA 47 Lee v Lee (2019) 226 CLR 129; [2019] HCA 28 Lewis v Australian Capital Territory (2020) 271 CLR 192; [2020] HCA 26 Madden v State of New South Wales [2023] NSWDC 647 Manly Fast Ferry Pty Ltd v Wehbe [2021] NSWCA 67…
El Assaad v Al Haje [2024] NSWCA 306
Citation 18 (Para 79)

…the fact that the primary judge also made an award for aggravated damages which are compensatory in nature (see Lamb v Cotogno (1987) 164 CLR 1; [1987] HCA 47 at [8] (Mason CJ, Brennan, Deane, Dawson and Gaudron JJ)) meant that it was necessary to avoid double counting with the award of general damages (citing…
The Game Meats Company of Australia v Farm Transparency International Ltd [2024] FCA 1455
Citation 19 (Para 14)

…exercised where the conduct in question has involved “conscious and contumelious disregard for the plaintiff’s rights” (see Lamb v Cotogno (1987) 164 CLR 1 (“ Lamb ”), 9 (Mason CJ, Brennan, Deane, Dawson and Gaudron JJ)) or “high-handed or deliberate conduct” (see Gray v Motor Accident Commission (1998) 196 CLR 1…
APC v Mr B (No 2) [2024] NSWSC 1608
Citation 20 (Para 2)

…ature, being awarded for injury to the plaintiff’s feelings caused by insult, humiliation and the like.”: Lamb v Cotogno (1987) 164 CLR 1 at 8; [1987] HCA 47. The injury compensated by an award of aggravated damages may be “intangible”: New South Wales v Ibbett (2006) 229 CLR 638; [2006] HCA 57 at [31].…
Prisk v Danslow [2024] NSWDC 535
Citation 21

…td v Broome [1972] AC 1027 Fox v Wood (1981) 148 CLR 438; [1981] HCA 41 Gray v Motor Accidents Commission (1998) 196 CLR 1; [1998] HCA 70 Lamb v Cotogno (1987) 164 CLR 1; [1987] HC 47 Nadjovski v Crnojlovic [2008] NSWCA 175 NSW v Ibbett (2006) 229 CLR 638; [2006] HCA 57 NSW v Landini [2010] NSWCA 157 Penrith City Counci…
Bishop of Wagga Wagga v TJ (a pseudonym) [2024] VSCA 262
Citation 22 (Para 2)

…21, 237 (Lord Morris of Borth-y-Gest for the Court). See also Lamb v Cotogno (1987) 164 CLR 1, 9 (Mason CJ, Brennan, Deane, Dawson and Gaudron JJ); [1987] HCA 47; Gray v Motor Accident Commission (1998) 196 CLR 1, 5–9 [8]–[20] (Gleeson CJ, McHugh, Gummow and Hayne JJ); [1998] HCA 70 (‘ Gray ’).…
AA v Trustees of the Roman Catholic Church for the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle [2024] NSWSC 1183
Citation 23

…Trustees of the Marist Brothers [2018] NSWSC 1013 Lamb v. Cotogno (1987) 164 CLR 1; [1987] HCA 47 M v M (1988) 166 CLR 69; [1988] HCA 68 Maga v Archbishop of Birmingham [2010] EWCA Civ 256; [2010] 1 WLR 1441 Malek v J.C. Hutton Pty Ltd (1990) 169 CLR 638; [1990] HCA 20 Moubarak by his tutor Coorey v Holt (2019)…
Cosenza v State of South Australia [2024] SASC 97
Citation 24 (Para 16)

…98] HCA 70; (1998) 196 CLR 1 at 4 [6]; citing Uren v John Fairfax & Sons Pty Ltd (1966) 117 CLR 118 at 149 per Windeyer J. [562] Lamb v Cotogno (1987) 164 CLR 1 at 8.…
TT v The Diocese of Saint Maron, Sydney & Ss (No 3) [2024] NSWSC 943
Citation 25

…ff’s feelings caused by insult, humiliation and the like: Lamb v Cotogno (1987) 164 CLR 1 at 8 (Mason CJ, Brennan, Deane, Dawson and Gaudron JJ); [1987] HCA 47. That is, they are awarded when the harm done by the wrongful act was aggravated by the manner in which the act was done: Uren v John Fairfax (1966) 117…
Emde v State of New South Wales [2024] NSWDC 268
Citation 26 (Para 98)

…, battery and false imprisonment, whether or not the plaintiff is injured or suffers loss. Damages are “very much at large”: Louis v Commonwealth (1987) 87 FLR 277. See also, with respect to false imprisonment, Ruddock at [140].…
Munting v Pollard [2024] TASSC 30
Citation 27

…ff's suffering. They are compensatory in nature, being awarded to the plaintiff's feelings caused by insult, humiliation and the like: Lamb v Cotogno (1987) 164 CLR 1. The more insulting or reprehensible a defendant's conduct, the greater the 52 No 30/2024…
Ghanem v State of New South Wales [2024] NSWDC 213
Citation 28

…uilty, to deter from any such proceeding for the future, and as a proof of the detestation of the jury to the action itself’” (Lamb v Cotogno [1987] HCA 47; (1987) 164 CLR 1 at 8; [1987] HCA 47). Further, “[t]he object, or at least the effect, of exemplary damages is not wholly punishment and the deterrence whic…
Al Haje v Elassaad [2024] NSWSC 689
Citation 29

…ff’s feelings caused by insult, humiliation and the like: Lamb v Cotogno (1987) 164 CLR 1 at 8 (Mason CJ, Brennan, Deane, Dawson and Gaudron JJ); [1987] HCA 47. That is, they are awarded when the harm done by the wrongful act was aggravated by the manner in which the act was done: Uren v John Fairfax (1966) 117…
Kucinskas v Lane (No 2) [2024] NSWSC 544
Citation 30

…ff’s feelings caused by insult, humiliation and the like: Lamb v Cotogno (1987) 164 CLR 1 at 8 (Mason CJ, Brennan, Deane, Dawson and Gaudron JJ); [1987] HCA 47. That is, they are awarded when the harm done by the wrongful act was aggravated by the manner in which the act was done: Uren v John Fairfax (1966) 117…
Marino v Bello [2024] NSWDC 149
Citation 31 (Para 52)

…Exemplary damages, on the other hand, go beyond compensation and are directed to punishment and deterrence: Lamb v Cotongo (1987) 164 CLR 1 at 8; State of New South Wales v Spedding [2023] NSWCA 180 at [314]; Balkin & Davis at paragraph 27.13 p.931.…
Kohkanzada v Amiri [2024] NSWSC 492
Citation 32 (Para 272)

…ompensatory damages ( State of New South Wales v Ibbett [2005] NSWCA 445 at [83]–[89] per Spigelman CJ citing, amongst others, Lamb v Cotogno (1987) 164 CLR 1 at 8 per Mason CJ, Brennan, Deane, Dawson and Gaudron JJ).…
Clough v Breen (No.5) [2024] NSWSC 337
Citation 33 (Para 11)

…nduct by the defendant or others, or to mark the Court’s disapproval of that conduct and are punitive and are deterrent in nature: Lamb v Cotogno (1987) 164 CLR 1. Aggravated damages are assessed from the point of view of the plaintiff and with exemplary damages the focus is on the conduct of the defendant, but it…
Cho v Dayoub [2024] NSWDC 97
Citation 34

…1 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298 Jones v Hyde [1989] HCA 20; (1989) 63 ALJR 349 Lamb v Cotogno (1987) 164 CLR 1; [1987] HCA 47 Lane v R [2013] NSWCCA 317 Lim v Cho [2018] NSWCA 145 Louis v Commonwealth (1987) 87 FLR 277 M v The Queen [1994] HCA 63; (1994) 181 CLR 487 Makita (Australia) Pty Ltd v Sprowles [200…
Ass'ad v Nasra [2024] NSWDC 100
Citation 35 (Para 51)

…Damages are “very much at large” for intentional torts: Louis v Commonwealth (1987) 87 FLR 277 (assault); Ruddock v Taylor (2005) 222 CLR 612 at [140] (false imprisonment). Compensatory damages in the case of the torts of assault and battery are assessed on the basis of the harm to the plaintiff’s in terms of mental…
Carvana v State of New South Wales [2024] NSWSC 254
Citation 36 (Para 251)

…tiff’s feelings caused by insult, humiliation and the like: Lamb v Cotogno (1987) 164 CLR 1 at 8 (Mason CJ, Brennan, Deane, Dawson and Gaudron JJ); [1987] HCA 47.…
Steen v Trustees of the Diocese of Tasmania [2024] TASSC 3
Citation 37

…or Accident Commission [1998] HCA 70, 1998 196 CLR 1 Horne v Wilson [1998] TASSC 17 Jadwan Pty Ltd v Middletons [2007] TASSC 74 Lamb v Cotogno [1987] 164 CLR 1…
Brown v Walker [2023] NSWDC 566
Citation 38

…tiff’s feelings caused by insult, humiliation and the like: Lamb v Cotogno (1987) 164 CLR 1 at 8 (Mason CJ, Brennan, Deane, Dawson and Gaudron JJ); [1987] HCA 47. That is, they are awarded when the harm done by the wrongful act was aggravated by the manner in which the act was done: Uren v John Fairfax (1966) 11…
Jay v Petrikas [2023] NSWCA 297
Citation 39

…nd are awarded as a punishment to the guilty, to deter similar conduct in the future, and to reflect “detestation” for the action: Lamb v Cotogno (1987) 164 CLR 1 at 8. Generally speaking, what is required for an award is “conscious wrongdoing in contumelious disregard of another’s rights”: Gray v Motor Accidents C…
EF v GH [2023] NSWDC 538
Citation 40 (Para 76)

…The plaintiff seeks $50,000 in aggravated damages. In Lamb v Cotogno [1987] HCA 47; (1987) 164 CLR 1 at [8] the High Court stated as follows:…
Mansour v Marhop Pty Limited [2023] NSWDC 476
Citation 41 (Para 141)

…, battery and false imprisonment, whether or not the plaintiff is injured or suffers loss. Damages are “very much at large”: Louis v Commonwealth (1987) 87 FLR 277. See also, with respect to false imprisonment, Ruddock v Taylor at [140].…
Taylor v August and Pemberton Pty Ltd [2023] FCA 1313
Citation 42 (Para 32)

…(rather than punitive) in nature, “awarded for injury to [an applicant’s] feelings caused by insult, humiliation and the like”: Lamb v Cotogno (1987) 164 CLR 1 at 8 (Mason CJ, Brennan, Deane, Dawson, Gaudron JJ).…
Wood v State of Queensland [2023] QSC 221
Citation 43

…P/L v Longwall Roof Supports Ltd & Ors [2003] QSC 187, cited Lamb v Cotogno (1987) 164 CLR 1; [1987] HCA 47, cited Mathews v Cooper & Ors [2017] QCA 322, cited New South Wales v Ibbett (2006) 229 CLR 638; [2006] HCA 57, cited State of New South Wales v Riley (2003) 57 NSWLR 496; [2003] NSWCA 208, cited Talacko (…
Binsaris, Webster, Austral & O'Shea v Northern Territory of Australia [2023] NTSC 79
Citation 44

…v State of Victoria (2019) 59 VR 241; JB & Ors v Northern Territory of Australia [2019] NTCA 1; Kunoth-Monks v Healey [2013] NTSC 74; Lamb v Contogno (1987) 164 CLR 1; LO & Ors v Northern Territory of Australia [2017] NTSC 22; Majindi v Northern Territory [2012] NTSC 25; NSW v Ibett (2006) 229 CLR 638; Uren v John…
Stradford (a pseudonym) v Judge Vasta [2023] FCA 1020
Citation 45

…togno (1987) 164 CLR 1; [1987] HCA 47 Lewis v Australian Capital Territory (2020) 271 CLR 192; [2020] HCA 26 Lindsay v Leigh (1848) 11 QB 455; 116 ER 547 London v Cox (1867) LR 2 HL 239 Love v Attorney-General (NSW) (1990) 169 CLR 307; [1990] HCA 4 Luck v University of Southern Queensland (2014) 145 ALD 1; [2014…
State of New South Wales v Spedding [2023] NSWCA 180
Citation 46 (Para 314)

…of exemplary damages is to punish and deter the wrongdoer: Lamb v Cotongo (1987) 164 CLR 1 at 8-9 (Mason CJ, Brennan, Deane, Dawson and Gaudron JJ); [1987] HCA 47. It has a separate function to that of aggravated or general damages because it is directed at the wrongdoer. The primary judge was plainly correct t…
Van Haren v Van Ryn [2023] NSWSC 776
Citation 47 (Para 89)

…ious and contumelious disregard for the plaintiff’s rights and to deter him from committing like conduct again: Lamb v Cotogno (1987) 164 CLR 1, 8; [1987] HCA 47; New South Wales v Ibbett (2006) 229 CLR 638; [2006] HCA 57 at [33] (‘ Ibbett ’); State of New South Wales v Abed (2014) 246 A Crim R 549; [2014] NSWCA…
Reeves v State of New South Wales (No 2) [2023] NSWDC 232
Citation 48 (Para 33)

…On aggravated damages, it is apparent from Lamb v Contogno (1987) 164 CLR 1 that aggravated damages can be compensatory in nature and can be awarded for injury to the plaintiff's feelings caused by insult or humiliation. But save for one matter shortly turned to, there was little more that Mr Reeves said about this…
ZYX (pseudonym initials) v Cable [No 5] [2023] WADC 61
Citation 49

…(1991) 28 FCR 597 Erlich v Leifer [2015] VSC 499 Hughes v The Queen (2017) 263 CLR 338 Jones v Dunkel [1959] HCA 8; (1959) 101 CLR 298 Lamb v Cotogno (1987) 164 CLR 1 Lawrence v Province Leader of the Oceania Province of the Congregation of the Christian Brothers [2020] WADC 27 LNN v The State of Western Australia…
Ikosidekas v Glenis [2023] VSCA 134
Citation 50 (Para 4)

…y’.[34] [33](1985) 155 CLR 448; [1985] HCA 12. [34]Ibid 471 (citation omitted); quoted with approval in Lamb v Cotogno (1987) 164 CLR 1, 9; [1987] HCA 47 (Mason CJ, Brennan, Deane, Dawson and Gaudron JJ)); New South Wales v Landini [2010] NSWCA 157, [113] (Macfarlan JA, Tobias JA and Sackville AJA agreeing at [1…

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