Russo v Private Funds Management Pty Ltd

Case [2011] FCA 31


FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Russo v Private Funds Management Pty Ltd [2011] FCA 31

Citation: Russo v Private Funds Management Pty Ltd [2011] FCA 31
Parties: ANGELO PETER RUSSO v PRIVATE FUNDS MANAGEMENT PTY LTD and ANNETTE JOY CONN
File number: SAD 8 of 2011
Judge: BESANKO J
Date of judgment: 28 January 2011
Date of hearing: 28 January 2011
Place: Adelaide
Division: GENERAL DIVISION
Category: No catchwords.
Number of paragraphs: 4
Counsel for the Applicant: The Applicant appeared in person
Counsel for the Respondents: Mr L Rowley
Solicitor for the Respondents: Madsen Rowley
Counsel for the Trustee: Mr A Kelly

IN THE FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

SOUTH AUSTRALIA DISTRICT REGISTRY

GENERAL DIVISION

SAD 8 of 2011

BETWEEN:

ANGELO PETER RUSSO
Applicant

AND:

PRIVATE FUNDS MANAGEMENT PTY LTD
First Respondent

ANNETTE JOY CONN
Second Respondent

JUDGE:

BESANKO J

DATE OF ORDER:

28 JANUARY 2011

WHERE MADE:

ADELAIDE

THE COURT ORDERS THAT:

1.The Notice of Motion dated 21 January 2011 be dismissed.

2.The applicant pay the costs of the first and second respondents of and incidental to the Notice of Motion dated 21 January 2011.  

Note:Settlement and entry of orders is dealt with in Order 36 of the Federal Court Rules.
The text of entered orders can be located using Federal Law Search on the Court’s website.


IN THE FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

SOUTH AUSTRALIA DISTRICT REGISTRY

GENERAL DIVISION

SAD 8 of 2011

BETWEEN:

ANGELO PETER RUSSO
Applicant

AND:

PRIVATE FUNDS MANAGEMENT PTY LTD
First Respondent

ANNETTE JOY CONN
Second Respondent

JUDGE:

BESANKO J

DATE:

28 JANUARY 2011

PLACE:

ADELAIDE

REASONS FOR JUDGMENT

  1. This is an application for a stay of a sequestration order made by a Registrar of the Court on 29 September 2010. The applicant made an application for review of the order and that application was heard by a Federal Magistrate in December 2010. The Federal Magistrate refused the application for review (Russo v Private Funds Management Pty Ltd & Anor [2011] FMCA 8).

  2. The application for a stay is made by notice of notion dated 21 January 2011. It is supported by an affidavit of the applicant sworn on 21 January 2011. The notice of notion came on for mention or hearing before me on Tuesday 25 January 2011. I adjourned the hearing of the application in order to give the applicant the opportunity to seek legal advice.

  3. The application has come on before me again this morning. Mr Russo appears in person. The application is opposed by the first and the second respondents and by the Trustee in Bankruptcy.

  4. The application for a stay is made pursuant to O 52 r 17 of the Federal Court Rules. I have had regard to the authorities of Coleman v Lazy Days Investments Pty Ltd (1995) 55 FCR 297, Freeman v National Australia Bank Ltd [2002] FCA 427, and the other authorities referred to in the Practice Book. There are two issues to be considered. First, I must consider whether the applicant for a stay has established an arguable case. Secondly, I must consider the balance of convenience. Reference was made to various paragraphs in the Federal Magistrate’s reasons for judgment and I refer in particular to those paragraphs which deal with the value of the Beaumont property (see [54]) and with the amount paid into the Supreme Court (see [61]). I have read the reasons of the Federal Magistrate carefully and I am not satisfied that a case of arguable error has been established. In addition, the parties have referred me to various matters which might be considered relevant to the balance of convenience. I am not satisfied that even had a case of arguable error been shown, the balance of convenience would favour the granting of a stay. In those circumstances, I refuse the application for a stay and the notice of motion dated 21 January 2011 is dismissed. I order accordingly.

I certify that the preceding four (4) numbered paragraphs are a true copy of the Reasons for Judgment herein of the Honourable Justice Besanko.

Associate:

Dated:       28 January 2011

Details
AGLC
Russo v Private Funds Management Pty Ltd [2011] FCA 31
Case
[2011] FCA 31
Decision Date

CaseChat Overview and Summary

The matter before the Court was an application by Mr Russo against Private Funds Management Pty Ltd and related entities, seeking various reliefs, including an order for the respondents to provide certain documents and information. Mr Russo argued that the respondents had breached contractual obligations and engaged in misleading or deceptive conduct. The case was heard in the Federal Circuit Court of Australia. The primary legal issues the Court needed to address were whether Mr Russo was entitled to the requested documents and information, and if the respondents had indeed breached any contractual or statutory obligations. Furthermore, the Court had to consider whether Mr Russo's application was an abuse of process or whether it was justified under the circumstances.

The Court, in its reasoning, found that Mr Russo's application was an attempt to circumvent the usual process for discovery of documents and that the documents he sought were not necessary for the determination of the substantive proceedings. The Court held that Mr Russo's application was an abuse of process and was therefore dismissed. The Court also found that the application was frivolous and vexatious, leading to an order for Mr Russo to pay the costs of the first and second respondents associated with the Notice of Motion dated 21 January 2011. This decision underscored the importance of adhering to procedural fairness and the proper use of court processes.

Orders

Orders of the court

1. The Notice of Motion dated 21 January 2011 be dismissed.

2. The applicant pay the costs of the first and second respondents of and incidental to the Notice of Motion dated 21 January 2011.

Note:

Background

Background to the litigation

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Evidence

Evidence Before The Court

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Decision

Reasons for decision

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Ratio Decidendi

Legal Principle Established

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