Titan Enterprises (Qld) Pty Ltd v Cross

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Titan Enterprises (Qld) Pty Ltd v Cross [2016] FCA 1241

File number:

QUD 411 of 2016

Judge:

LOGAN J

Date of judgment:

19 October 2016

Catchwords:

PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – subpoenas – privilege – trade marks attorney privilege – whether trade marks attorney and client legal privilege can be assimilated – onus of proof – where statements for claiming privilege do not rise above mere assertions – onus of proof not discharged

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY – subpoenas – privilege – trade marks attorney privilege – whether trade marks attorney privilege and client legal privilege can be assimilated – onus of proof – where statements for claiming privilege do not rise above mere assertions – onus of proof not discharged   

Legislation:

Acts Interpretation Act 1901 (Cth) s 23

Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth) sch 2

Intellectual Property Laws Amendment (Raising the Bar) Act 2012 (Cth)

Trade Marks Act 1995 (Cth) s 229

Australian Consumer Law ss 18, 29

Code of Conduct for Patent and Trade Marks Attorneys 2013 s 19

Cases cited:

Esso Australia Resources Ltd v Federal Commissioner of Taxation (1999) 201 CLR 49

Hancock v Rinehart [2016] NSWSC 12

Woollahra Municipal Council v Westpac Banking Corporation (1994) 33 NSWLR 529

Date of hearing:

17 October 2016

Registry:

Queensland

Division:

General Division

National Practice Area:

Intellectual Property

Sub-area:

Trade Marks

Category:

Catchwords

Number of paragraphs:

20

Counsel for the Applicants:

Mr P O’Shea QC with Mr B Gardiner

Solicitor for the Applicants:

King and Wood Mallesons

Counsel for the Respondents:

The Respondents did not appear

Counsel for the Proper Officer, Davies Collison Cave:

Mr PK O’Higgins

Solicitor for the Proper Officer, Davies Collison Cave:

Minter Ellison

ORDERS

QUD 411 of 2016

BETWEEN:

TITAN ENTERPRISES (QLD) PTY LTD

First Applicant

RIGEL CONSTRUCTIONS PTY LTD

Second Applicant

RIGEL ERECTORS PTY LTD

Third Applicant

AND:

DALE CROSS

First Respondent

ADAM CLIFFORD HARMON

Second Respondent

JUDGE:	LOGAN J
DATE OF ORDER:	19 OCTOBER 2016

THE COURT ORDERS THAT:

1.The applicants be granted leave to uplift from the Court for the purposes of inspection and copying the documents produced by the proper officer of Davies Collison Cave (Subpoenaed Party) pursuant to the subpoena issued 26 July 2016 (Subpoena) excluding the following documents in envelopes marked:

(a)“QUD411/2016 Documents produced pursuant to order made 11 October 2016, Category 3 of subpoena 26.07.16. Privilege objections: Davies Collison Cave’s privilege, Confidentiality Objection: Confidential communications with Minter Ellison NOT TO BE OPENED WITHOUT LEAVE, COURT COPY”; and

(b)“QUD411/2016 Documents produced pursuant to order made 11 October 2016, Category 2 of subpoena 26.07.16, No privilege objections, Confidentiality Objection: Banking communications from confidential Davies Collison Cave file NOT TO BE OPENED WITHOUT LEAVE, COURT COPY”.

2.Costs be reserved.

Note:    Entry of orders is dealt with in Rule 39.32 of the Federal Court Rules 2011.

REASONS FOR JUDGMENT

LOGAN J:

1. This proceeding is being conducted in accordance with the Court’s “Fast Track” practice and procedure to the end of what in more prosaic times would have been termed…