Leichhardt Municipal Council v Green

[2004] NSWCA 341

CITATION:	Leichhardt Municipal Council v Green [2004] NSWCA 341
HEARING DATE(S):	written submissions
JUDGMENT DATE:	22 September 2004
JUDGMENT OF:	Santow JA at 1; Bryson JA at 59; Stein AJA at 61
DECISION:	Application for indemnity costs dismissed with costs.
CATCHWORDS:	COSTS - application for indemnity costs - Calderbank letter sent by appellant prior to proceedings below offering settlement in terms "verdict in favour of the Council with each party to bear its own costs" - whether genuine offer of compromise - whether discretion to award indemnity costs should be exercised.
LEGISLATION CITED:	District Court Act 1973 s148B; Pts 19A and 39A r25 Legal Practitioners Act 1987 Division 6 of Pt 11 Supreme Court Act 1970 s76; Pts 22 and 52A r22
CASES CITED:	Bishop v State of NSW (Dunford J, 17 December 2000, unreported) Brodie v Singleton Shire Council; Ghantous v Hawkesbury City Council (2001) 206 CLR 512 Byrnes v Burwood Council [2002] NSWCA 343 Calderbank v Calderbank [1975] 3 All ER 333 Cutts v Head [1984] Ch 290 Colgate Palmolive v Cussons (1993) 118 ALR 248 Computer Machinery Co Ltd v Drescher [1983] 1 WLR 1379 Fountain Selected Meats (Sales) Pty Ltd v International Produce Merchants Pty Ltd (1988) 81 ALR 397 GIO General Ltd v ABB Installation & Service Pty Ltd [2000] NSWCA 118 Hillier v Sheather (1995) 36 NSWLR 414 Hobartville Stud v Union Insurance Co (1991) 25 NSWLR 358 Jones v Bradley (No 2) [2003] NSWCA 258 Laguillo v Haden Engineering Pty Ltd [1978] 1 NSWLR 306 Maitland Hospital v Fisher (No 2) (1992) 27 NSWLR 721 McKerlie v State of New South Wales (No. 2) [2000] NSWSC 1159 Morgan v Johnson (1998) 44 NSWLR 578 Multicon Engineering Pty Limited v Federal Airports Corp (1996) 138 ALR 425 Oshlack v Richmond River Council (1998) 193 CLR 72 Richmond Valley Council v Standing [2002] NSWCA 359 RTA v McGuinness [2002] NSWCA 210 Singh v Singh (No 2) [2004] NSWSC 225 SMEC Testing Services Pty Ltd v Campbelltown City Council [2000] NSWCA 323 Tickell v Trifleska Pty Ltd (1991) 25 NSWLR 353
PARTIES :	LEICHHARDT MUNICIPAL COUNCIL (Appellant) Kevin Anthony GREEN (Respondent)
FILE NUMBER(S):	CA 40448/03
COUNSEL:	K M GUILFOYLE (Appellant) P R STERNBERG (Respondent)
SOLICITORS:	Phillips Fox (Appellant) Elias Gates & Associates (Respondent)

LOWER COURTJURISDICTION:	District Court
LOWER COURT FILE NUMBER(S):	DC 10367/02
LOWER COURT JUDICIAL OFFICER :	Garling DCJ

CA 40448/03
DC 10367/02

SANTOW JA
BRYSON JA
STEIN AJA

22 SEPTEMBER 2004

LEICHHARDT MUNICIPAL COUNCIL v Kevin Anthony GREEN

Judgment

1 SANTOW JA:

INTRODUCTION
Since judgment was delivered, submissions have been received by both parties following the successful appeal by Leichhardt Municipal Council, defendant in an action brought by the respondent. Essentially the successful appellant seeks a variation of the order for costs so as to obtain costs on an indemnity basis from 19 March 2003. It bases its application on what it contends is the proper application of the principles in Calderbank v Calderbank [1975] 3 All ER 333, following an offer to…