Zang & Juong

The parties to this proceeding were Zang and Juong. The dispute concerned an application by Zang for an order that Juong be restrained from commencing or continuing proceedings in the Supreme Court of New South Wales. The application was heard by Watts J in the Supreme Court of Victoria.

The central legal issue before the court was whether the Supreme Court of Victoria had the power to grant an anti-suit injunction to restrain proceedings in the Supreme Court of New South Wales. This involved considering the principles governing the exercise of such jurisdiction, particularly in circumstances where the parties and the subject matter of the dispute might have connections to both states.

Watts J determined that the Supreme Court of Victoria possessed the inherent jurisdiction to grant an anti-suit injunction in appropriate circumstances. His Honour reasoned that the court's power to prevent vexatious or unconscionable conduct extended to restraining proceedings in other Australian jurisdictions, provided that the criteria for granting such an injunction were met. The court considered whether the New South Wales proceedings were vexatious or oppressive, and whether there was a sufficient connection to Victoria to justify the intervention of its courts.

The court ultimately granted the application, ordering that Juong be restrained from commencing or continuing proceedings in the Supreme Court of New South Wales.