Prus-Butwilowicz v Moxey

[2002] QDC 166

DISTRICT COURT OF QUEENSLAND

CITATION:

Prus-Butwilowicz v Moxey [2002] QDC 166

PARTIES:

JERRY PRUS-BUTWILOWICZ
Appellant
and
NEIL L MOXEY trading as NLM AUTO SERVICES
Respondent

FILE NO/S:

991 / 2001

DIVISION:

Civil Jurisdiction

PROCEEDING:

Appeal

ORIGINATING COURT:

Magistrates Court Southport

DELIVERED ON:

23 May 2002

DELIVERED AT:

Southport

HEARING DATE:

4 April 2002

JUDGE:

Judge Alan Wilson SC

ORDER:

Appeal dismissed

CATCHWORDS:

PRACTICE – DEFAULT JUDGMENT – SETTING ASIDE – requirement for affidavit “on the merits”

Appeal from decision of Magistrate setting aside default judgment – applicant swearing short affidavit exhibiting lengthy, detailed and responsive pleading – practice under former Court rules – whether requirement for applicant to swear affidavit on the merits is mandatory under UCPR.

Magistrates Courts Act 1921 s 45(2)
Uniform Civil Procedure Rules r 920

Cases considered:
Worldwide Production Pty Ltd v Hoffman (1982) Qd R 316
Palmer v Pemic (1980) WAR 61
Sharples v Northern Territory (1988) 91 FLR 11
Carr v Finance Corporation of Australia Ltd (1981) 147 CLR 24 at 248
Middleton v Laurel Springs Management Services Pty Ltd (District Court Maroochydore, 17 May 2001 28/00)
Silk & Textile Printers Ltd v Moore (1956) Qd R 496
Yankee Doodles Pty Ltd v Blemvale Pty Ltd (1999) BC9903401
Evans v Bartlam (1937) AC 473 at 480
Saunders v Hammond (1965) QWN 39
NMLA v Oasis Developments (1983) 2 Qd R 441

Champion v Fay (1983) 2 Qd R 416 (FC)

Vosmaer v Spinks (1964) QWN 36 (FC)

Alliance Acceptance Co Ltd v Makas (1976) 26 FLR 451

Chitty v Mason (1926) VLR 419, at 423:

Heller Financial Services Ltd v Solchaniuk (1989) 99 FLR 304
House v the King (1936) 55 CLR at 505
Saunders v Esanda Finance Corporation Ltd (Supreme Court of South Australia, 31 May 1996, S5631) (BC 9602273)

Langanis v Roberts, unreported, (Supreme Court of South Australia, Mullighan J, 15 July 1993, S 4043) (BC 9300368)

Grimshaw v Dunbar (1953) 1 QB 408
Rosing v Ben Shemesh (1960) VR 173, at 176
Attwood v Chitchester (1878) 3 QBD 722
Nevill v Hanley (1888) 14 VLR 270
Evans v Bartlam (1937) AC 473, at 480
National Australia Bank Limited v Singh (1995) 1 Qd R 377 (CA)

COUNSEL:

Mr A Maher for the appellant
Mr S J English for the respondent

SOLICITORS:

Odens Lawyers for the appellant
Respondent self-represented

1. This is an appeal from the decision of an Acting Magistrate, Mr O’Driscoll, delivered 7 September 2001 at Southport Magistrates Court in which he set aside a default judgment obtained by the appellant on 14 February 2001, the quantum of which was assessed by the Deputy Registrar at that Court on 2 March 2001 at $2,068.00 for claim, and $93.00 for costs.  Because that sum is less than $5,000, leave to appeal is necessary: Magistrates Courts Act 1921, s 45(2). The respondent had, however, no objection to the appeal being heard with the application for leave to appeal, as permitted by UCPR r 786(8), and that is what occurred.