Source: https://www.bylawyers.com.au/step-by-step-guide/district-court-civil-nsw?modalUrl=/product/purchase/4
Timestamp: 2019-07-21 02:34:20
Document Index: 195975422

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 2', 'art 2', 'art 14', 'art 15', 'art 35', 'art 35', 'art 17', 'art 17', 'art 31', 'art 31', 'art 22']

District Court Civil | NSW | Legal Guides for Lawyers
Tue Dec 04 2007 13:00:00 GMT+0000 (UTC)
This comprehensive and easy to follow publication provides commentary and precedents for the conduct of proceedings in the District Court, when acting for either a plaintiff or defendant and includes a supplementary enforcement guide, demonstrating the use of precedents guide and 101 subpoena answers reference manual.
FULL COMMENTARY - ACTING FOR THE PLAINTIFF - DISTRICT COURT (NSW)
“ Your client will come to you about a dispute in which they seek money or damages. The dispute may be a debt recovery or a breach of contract, a building or engineering dispute, a damages claim in personal injury or a person seeking a provision from a deceased estate. The amount in dispute ... ”
“ Local Court Civil (NSW) Supreme Court Civil (NSW) ”
“ Initial instructions Use the appropriate Retainer Instructions in the initial conference with the client: ”
Applicable legislation and procedures
“ Legislation & Procedure Practice in the District Court is conducted under: ”
“ The District Court is a creature of statute and has no inherent jurisdiction. It does have incidental jurisdiction, essentially to control its own proceedings. It has jurisdiction to hear any action of a kind which, if brought in the Supreme Court, would be assigned to the Common Law Division of ... ”
“ The current practice note is Practice Note DC (Civil) No. 1. The effect of this practice note is to rescind a number of former practice notes, especially in relation to specialised lists. Like the Local Court, the District Court has time standards and all practitioners must ensure that the client ... ”
Section 56 – The overriding purpose
“ Section 56 Civil Procedure Act 2005 – the overriding purpose Section 56 Civil Procedure Act 2005 sets out the overriding purpose of the Civil Procedure Act 2005 and the Uniform Civil Procedure Rules. All business in the court is subject to the section which imposes upon the court an obligation to ... ”
Online Court in the General List
“ The Judicial Registrar’s General List in Sydney will be managed using the Online Court in accordance with Practice Note DC (Civil) No. 1B. The Online Court should be used to request case management orders. The Judicial Registrar’s Guide to the Online Court in the General List is a useful resource. ... ”
“ The repealed Part 2A Civil Procedure Act The introduction of Part 2A CPA was clearly intended to introduce a regime designed to resolve disputes as efficiently and as cheaply as possible. It required parties to a civil dispute or civil proceedings to undertake reasonable steps to resolve or ... ”
“ Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) is a procedure that may be appropriate prior to the commencement of proceedings. It is also apparent from the context of the court Practice Notes that the parties will continue to be encouraged by the court throughout the course of preparing a matter for trial ... ”
“ s 26 Civil Procedure Act 2005 The court has power to order proceedings to mediation at any time, with or without the consent of the parties: s 26(1) Civil Procedure Act 2005. ”
Standard directions for mediation before a registrar
Settlement after proceedings have commenced – Consent orders
“ Uniform Civil Procedure Rules – r 36.1A When the parties settle after proceedings have been commenced they will have to enter into consent orders to dispose of the proceedings. ”
“ If a party does not submit to the jurisdiction of the court because for example, the District Court has no jurisdiction, a term in a contract contains an exclusive jurisdiction clause or for arbitration in another jurisdiction or forum, a party may make an application by notice of motion ... ”
Case management – General outline of requirements
“ It is appropriate to introduce this subject at this time, i.e. even before a statement of claim has been filed to commence proceedings. In relation to Practice Note DC (Civil) 1 the specific notation is to the effect: ”
Letter to client before commencing proceedings or filing defence
Enclosure - Practice Note DC (Civil) No. 1
“ Uniform Civil Procedure Rules – r 7.1(1) Any natural person may commence and carry on proceedings: r 7.1(1). ”
“ Jurisdiction The District Court’s injunctive power it limited to granting ancillary relief by way of injunction in proceedings within its jurisdiction. This power is an implied power, limited as stated above to what is necessary for the court to effectively determine proceedings within its ... ”
“ The District Court is a court of strict pleadings. All pleadings must comply with the Uniform Civil Procedure Rules, in particular Part 14 – Pleadings and UCPR Part 15 – Particulars. The material facts of the claim must be pleaded with as much brevity as possible. The most important provision is ... ”
“ The statement of claim needs to be drafted and then filed with sufficient copies and the correct filing fee. The other material that needs to be considered at this stage includes: client given notice in writing of the terms of Practice Note DC (Civil) 1 (see para 2.5); ”
“ Uniform Civil Procedure Rules – Practice Note DC (Civil) No. 15 When a plaintiff or cross-claimant issues a statement of claim for a debt they are entitled to claim interest calculated in accordance with r 36.7: s 101 Civil Procedure Act 2005. From 1 March 2009 to 30 June 2010 the rate is ... ”
If required - Statement of particulars - Personal injury
“ With the exceptions provided for in r 14.22 damage actions for defamation, malicious prosecution, false imprisonment, death or personal injury, r 14.23 requires that a party‘s pleading, including any amendment to the pleading, must be verified by affidavit. UCPR 14.23(3) provides that the ... ”
“ Clause 4 of schedule 2 of the Legal Profession Uniform Law Application Act 2014 provides for restrictions on commencing, and defending, proceedings being a claim for damages that do not have reasonable prospects of success. There are serious costs consequences that can apply to a legal ... ”
“ In both the District and Supreme Courts, any originating process must be personally served: see r 10.20(2)(a). The rules prescribe how personal service is to be effected, see r 10.21: (1) Personal service of a document on a person is effected by leaving a copy of the document with the person or, ... ”
“ Uniform Civil Procedure Rules – r 9.8 A defendant is entitled to bring any cross-claim against the plaintiff, s 22 Civil Procedure Act 2005, r 9.8, whether the proceedings have been commenced by statement of claim or summons. ”
“ Uniform Civil Procedure Rules – r 13.2 If the court gives judgment against a party under r 13.1 and that party has a cross-claim against the party obtaining the judgment, the court may stay enforcement of the judgment until determination of the cross-claim: r 13.2. ”
“ A defendant must file a defence, Form 7A, within 28 days of service: see r 14.3. Where a defence needs to be verified, such as in a contract claim, debt claim, the defendant must verify the defence by affidavit and should only deny those allegations where the defendant believes the allegations ... ”
“ UCPR 19.1 permits amendment to a statement of claim, without leave, once, within 28 days after it was filed. This enables the plaintiff to amend the statement of claim very easily within the time constraints (and even if a defence has already been filed). Any amendment by any party outside this ... ”
“ The plaintiff may receive a request for further and better particulars, either before or after a defence is filed. If such a request is received, the defendant’s letter may also ask for further time in which to file a defence after the answers are received and may even be phrased ‘we assume that ... ”
“ Uniform Civil Procedure Rules – r 14.4 A party does not require leave to file a reply in the District Court: r 14.4(1). ”
“ Uniform Civil Procedure Rules – r 14.5(1) No further pleadings subsequent to a reply may be filed without leave: r 14.5(1). If leave is sought the application must be made within 14 days after service of the pleading to which the further pleading responds: r 14.5(2). ”
Submitting appearance
“ Uniform Civil Procedure Rules – r 6.11 A submitting appearance can be entered where a defendant will not be taking an active part in the proceedings and as a consequence will submit to any orders made by the court in the proceedings: r 6.11. The submitting appearance carries the notation, ‘Save ... ”
“ These are brought by Notice of Motion supported by affidavit evidence. Practice Note DC (Civil) No. 1, para 7, sets out the manner in which motions will be dealt with by the court. ”
“ Uniform Civil Procedure Rules – r 16.3(1) Where the claim is for damages a judgment or verdict is entered for the plaintiff for damages to be assessed: r 16.7. See rule 16.7(2) for the requirements of the affidavit in support. There will have to be a trial (which may be ex parte) on damages. ”
“ Uniform Civil Procedure Rules – r 13.1 Summary judgment is available to a plaintiff in circumstances where the defence filed is not sustainable. ”
“ The plaintiff may be faced by an application by the defendant who faced with what it considers to be an unsustainable claim by the plaintiff may apply for summary dismissal pursuant to r 13.4. As in the case of a plaintiff seeking summary judgment, the test applied is the matter must be so ... ”
“ Uniform Civil Procedure Rules – r 28.2 The court may, by order, give directions as to the order in which questions of fact are to be tried: s 62(2) Civil Procedure Act 2005. ”
“ Uniform Civil Procedure Rules – r 28.5 The court may order that proceedings be consolidated, that is heard together and evidence in one be evidence in the other, when realistically the claims and parties could have been pleaded in the one statement of claim. Hence there are no significant ... ”
“ Uniform Civil Procedure Rules – Part 35 The evidence to be adduced at the hearing of a notice of motion must be by affidavit. ”
“ Uniform Civil Procedure Rules – r 35.6 The former requirement that affidavits and any annexures to the affidavit must not exceed 50 pages has been removed under the Uniform Civil Procedure Rules. ”
“ Uniform Civil Procedure Rules – Part 35 Affidavits are no longer filed in the registry except by order of the court or as required by other rules of the court set out below, with leave or in accordance with an applicable practice note: r 35.9. ”
“ If a party requires the deponent to attend for cross-examination, written notice (i.e. by letter) must be served on the party relying on the affidavit for the deponent to attend for cross-examination. If reasonable notice is given and the deponent does not attend for cross-examination, the ... ”
“ Note: 101 Subpoena Answers may provide specialised assistance in relation to subpoenas to produce documents. The District Court requires parties to issue subpoenas as early as possible so documents can be produced and inspected well before hearing and are available for the proper preparation of ... ”
“ Uniform Civil Procedure Rules – Part 17 The procedure under Part 17 allows a party to issue a notice requiring the other party to admit material facts: r 17.3 and the authenticity of documents: r 17. 4 (Form 17). ”
Plaintiff letter to other side with categories of documents for discovery
“ Uniform Civil Procedure Rules – Part 31 Part 31 r 19 provides that parties are precluded from relying on expert evidence at trial unless directions have been sought in accordance with the rule which requires that any party intending to adduce expert evidence at trial should promptly seek ... ”
Letter instructing expert witness
“ Uniform Civil Procedure Rules – Part 22 Interrogatories can be quite a difficult area and if really necessary, counsel’s advice might be required. ”
G. Status conference and the hearing
“ An important aspect of the pre-trial conference, 2 months after commencement, is the need to prepare for the actual conference. The various matters include: ”
“ Note: The current Practice Note relevant to the District Court of NSW is PN DC (CIVIL) No 1 which applies in all proceedings in Sydney, Gosford and Newcastle Registries. ”
“ Generally, at the pre-trial conference the court will make appropriate orders and directions to ensure that the case is ready to be listed for hearing at the status conference. Paragraph 8 of Practice Note DC (Civil) No. 1 concerns the status conference. The principle in para 8.1 is that all ... ”
“ There is great emphasis under the CPA, the UCPR and the practice note for the matter to proceed to an early resolution. Paragraph 8.5 Practice Note DC (Civil) No. 1 provides for an enquiry at the status conference as to why a matter has not been prepared to proceed to a hearing. ”
“ Paragraph 12 of Practice Note DC (Civil) No. 1 applies. The court will only grant adjournment applications where there are very good reasons. The parties must not ask the court to fix cases for trial unless they are ready for trial. Legal practitioners must ascertain the availability of the ... ”
“ There is still much preparatory work to be performed. After allocation of the hearing date and prior to hearing the court also requires the following to be carried out and otherwise noted: ”
“ Proceedings may be discontinued by the plaintiff with the consent of each other active party r 12.1(1)(a) or with leave r 12.1(1)(b). Any grant of leave will be on terms with costs usually ordered to be paid by the discontinuing party. Form 27. In any proceedings discontinued pursuant to r 12.1, ... ”
“ Costs are at the discretion of the court, but r 42.1 provides that if the court makes any order as to costs, the court is to order that costs follow the event. UCPR 42.2 provides that unless otherwise ordered, costs are to be assessed on an ordinary basis (commonly referred to as party and party ... ”
“ Practitioners are required to advise the list office immediately a matter is settled. Until terms of settlement, consent orders or a notice of discontinuance is filed; the parties must attend before the court when the matter is listed. Parties should aim to file settlement documents in court on ... ”
“ Section 127 of the District Court Act concerns an appeal from a Judge’s or Judicial Registrar’s judgment – it is to the Supreme Court. The major limitation is that leave of the Supreme Court is required where the amount in issue is less than $100,000. Section 127 of the District Court Act ... ”
Letter to client finalising matter