NHB Enterprises Pty Ltd v Corry (No 2)

In the case of NHB Enterprises Pty Ltd v Corry, the dispute centred around allegations that the defendant, Corry, had breached search orders by accessing and using documents and devices that were subject to those orders. The case was heard in the Federal Court of Australia. NHB Enterprises, the plaintiff, sought to enforce compliance with the search orders and to address Corry's alleged abuse of those documents and devices. Corry argued that he was unable to adequately defend himself due to a lack of funds and financial evidence to support this claim.

The court had to determine whether Corry's inability to retain legal representation and provide sufficient financial evidence justified the imposition of a supervision regime for his access to documents and devices. Additionally, the court needed to assess whether Corry's actions constituted contempt of court, specifically in relation to the breach of the search orders. The court also considered the appropriate measures to ensure compliance with the orders and protect the integrity of the proceedings.

The court found that Corry's lack of financial evidence did not sufficiently justify a supervision regime for access to documents and devices. It held that Corry's actions amounted to contempt of court as he had breached the search orders. The court ordered Corry to pay a fine of $50,000 and directed that he provide a comprehensive list of his assets and income to the respondent’s legal representative within 14 days. This was intended to ensure transparency and facilitate the supervision of Corry's access to documents and devices moving forward.