✅ HD APPROVED - CIVIL PROCEDURE (UPDATED FOR 2026) - MLP391

Description

These high-authority notes were the key to my HD in one of the most technical subjects at Deakin. Don't waste hours trying to navigate the complex Civil Procedure Rules on your own-use this structured, exam-tested roadmap to secure your WAM. These notes cover: 1 | CIVIL JUSTICE SYSTEM: OVERVIEW BASIC LITIGATION PROCESS - Why is civil procedure important? - VICT v MUA & CFMEU [2017] VSC 762 - Matthews v AusNet (No 46) [2017] VSC 360 - Bauer Media v Wilson (No 2) [2018] VSCA 154 MECHANISMS OF CIVIL PROCEDURE - Supreme Court (General Civil Procedure) Rules 2015 (Vic) Exercise of powers of Registrar by Associate Judge - Any Associate Judge may exercise any power or authority conferred on the Registrar by or under these Rules. CIVIL JUSTICE SYSTEM - Goals of civil justice system: TRADITIONAL ADVERSARIAL SYSTEM - Examples of ‘old school’ view of CP - Jones v National Coal Board (1957) - Fookes v Slaytor (1979) - Hoare Bros v Magistrates Court - AON Risk Services v ANU (2009) 239 CLR 175 - Strengths and weaknesses of the adversarial system - MODERN CASE MANAGEMENT APPROACH: Civil Procedure Act 2010 - Sali v SPC Ltd (1993) 116 ALR 625 - Queensland v JL Holdings Pty Ltd (1997) 189 CLR 146 - Established in Aon Risk Services v Australian National University (2009) - Principle of Open Justice: Order 49 SCR IMPACT OF THE CIVIL PROCEDURE ACT 2010 (VIC) - Civil procedure reform milestones - Johnson v Johnson (2000) 201 CLR 488 at 493 - Second reading speech MECHANISMS UNDER THE CPA OVERARCHING PURPOSE: s 7 COURT’S POWER TO FURTHER OVERARCHING PURPOSE: s 9 OVERARCHING OBLIGATIONS: ss 16-27 - Paramount duty: s 16 - Overarching obligations: ss 17-26 CERTIFICATIONS: ss 41-42 SANCTIONS: ss 28-29 - Yara Australia v Oswal [2013] VSCA 337 - Hudspeth v Scholastic Cleaning [2014] VSCA 78 CASE MANAGEMENT POWERS: ss 47-53 - Active case management: s 47 - Powers over pre-trial procedures: s 48 - Power over trial procedures and hearing: s 49 - Statement of issues: s 50 & 50A - Sanctions: s 51 - Disclosure and discovery: ss 54-55 - Sanctions upon breach of obligations regarding discovery: s 56 - Summary judgement: ss 60-64 - Power to order proceeding or part of it to ADR: s 66 2 | COURTS & JURISDICTION - OVERVIEW JURISDICTION OF COURTS - State judicial hierarchy - JURISDICTION: SUPREME COURT: Constitution Act 1975 (Vic) s 85 & Supreme Court Act 1986 (Vic) - “Subject matter jurisdiction”: s 85 Constitution - “Territorial Jurisdiction”: The Supreme Court - Jurisdiction over the property or thing - Territorial nexus - Laurie v Carroll (1958) 98 CLR 310 CROSS-VESTING JURISDICTION - Jurisdiction of Courts (Cross-Vesting) Act 1987 (Vic) - Irwin v State of Queensland [2011] VSC 291 - Re Wakim - Exercise of jurisdiction: s 75 Constitution Act 1975 (Vic) - Procedure of the Supreme Court - Abuse of process - Jago v District Court of NSW (1989) 168 CLR 23 - Mode of trial - JURISDICTION: COUNTY COURT: County Court Act 1958 (Vic) ss 36 + 37 - Constitution - Jurisdiction - Procedure in the County Court - JURISDICTION: MAGISTRATES’ COURT: Magistrates’ Court Act 1989 (Vic) - Appeals - VCAT - CASE TRANSFER: The Courts (Case Transfer) Act 1991 (Vic) - TRANSFER OF PROCEEDINGS: s 5 Jurisdiction of Courts (Cross-Vesting) Act 1987 (Vic) - DG v Commonwealth Serial Laboratories - BHP Billiton v Schultz - Best On Parks Management v Sexton SCV (2008) - Mutch v BHB Billiton Ltd [2015] VSC 253 3 | COMMENCING PROCEEDINGS - KEY CONCEPTS - COMMENCING PROCEEDINGS: Originating process - Letter of demand 1) WRIT (Form 5A): r - (i) General indorsement (Form 5B-5E): r (2)(b) - Ruzea v Massey Ferguson Aus Ltd (1983 VSC) - (ii) Special indorsement: r (2)(a) - STALE WRITS - Van Leer v Palace Shipping (1981) 180 CLR 337 - Breadly (1999 WA Supreme Court) 2) ORIGINATING MOTION: r - SUMMONS: r (Form 46A) EFFECT OF ORIGINATING PROCESS - Interlocutory process distinguished - LIMITATION PERIODS: Limitation of Actions Act 1958 (Vic) 4 | SERVICE - SERVICE (rules 6 & 7) - The purpose of service TYPES OF SERVICE 1) PERSONAL SERVICE - Ainsworth v Redd (1990) 19 NSWLR 78 - Exceptions to personal service - Time requirements: r + 2) ORDINARY SERVICE - Service on ‘special parties’ PROOF OF SERVICE: rr & SCR SUBSTITUTED SERVICE: r - Recent amendments to SCR re use of email SERVICE OUTSIDE THE JURISDICTION - Laurie v Carroll (1958) 98 CLR 310 - Service & Execution of Process Act 1992 (Cth) (‘SEPA’) - Voth v Manildra Flour Mills (1990) 171 CLR 538 - Other matters re service out of jurisdiction: r SCR - Oceanic Sunline Shipping v Fay (1988 HCA) - Voth v Manildra Four Mills Pty Ltd (1990 CLR) 5 | APPEARANCE APPEARANCE: Order 8 - (a) Unconditional appearance - (b) Conditional appearance: r - Sheldon v Brown Baileys Steele Works (1953) RULES REGARDING AN APPEARANCE - Who can file an appearance: r - Deadline to file appearance: r - Reserving your rights IMPLICATION OF APPEARANCE - Risk of waiver / inadvertently submitting 6 | JOINDER OF CLAIMS & PARTIES PARTIES, CAPACITY AND STANDING TO SUE RES JUDICATA & ISSUE ESTOPPEL - (a) Res judicata or “cause of action estoppel” - (b) “Issue Estoppel” - (c) Anshun Estoppel - Port of Melbourne Authority v Anshun Pty Ltd (1981) 147 CLR 589 - Rippon v Chilcotin Pty Ltd (2001) NSWCA 142 - Wong v Minister for Immigration & Multicultural & Indigenous Affairs [2004] FCAFC 242 JOINDER OF PARTIES 1. Permissive joinder of parties - Payne & Others v Young & others (1980) 145 CLR 609 - Bishop v Bridgeland Securities (1990) 25 FCR 311 2. ‘Mandatory’ joinder of parties - Joinder of defendants - Joinder of claims by the Plaintiff - (i) The Defendant’s ‘Counter Claim’ against the Plaintiff: rr - (ii) The Defendant’s claim to ‘Set off’ - (iii) Claim by the defendant against a Third Party CONSOLIDATION ADDITION, SUBSTITUTION AND REMOVAL OF PARTIES: r REPRESENTATIVE PROCEEDINGS (NOT EXAMINABLE) CLASS ACTIONS (NOT EXAMINABLE) 7 | PLEADINGS - Formal requirements: r - Content requirements: r - ‘Material facts’ - Point of law - Rule : Main points - Order 13: Other important rules CAUSES OF ACTION PARTICULARS: r - Further and better particulars: r - Particulars and personal injuries claims in a SOC - Dare v Pulham (1982) 148 CLR 658 TYPES OF PLEADINGS 1) STATEMENT OF CLAIM 2) DEFENCE - Admissions and denials: r - Pleading specific defences: r COUNTERCLAIM: Order 10 - ‘Third party claims’ 3) THE REPLY BINDING NATURE OF PLEADINGS - Banque Commerciale v Akhil Holdings (1990) 169 CLR 279 - Departing from pleadings - Leotta v Public Transport Commission (1976) 50 ALJR 666 - State of Queensland v JL Holdings (1997) 189 CLR 146 STRIKING OUT PLEADINGS CLOSE OF PLEADINGS 8 | SUMMARY DISPOSITION 1) DEFAULT JUDGEMENT - Default judgement: Overarching principles SETTING ASIDE DEFAULT JUDGEMENT: r 2) SUMMARY JUDGEMENT - Summary judgements: Overarching principles - Summary judgement for the plaintiff: r SCR & s 61 CPA - Summary judgement for the defendant: r SCR & s 62 CPA - General Steel Industries v Commissioner for Railways (1964) 112 CLR 125 - Summarily Terminating a proceeding or defence 3) STRIKING OUT DISCONTINUANCE - 9 AMENDMENT NON-COMPLIANCE - AMENDMENT - Factors affecting amendment: AON Risk Services Australia Ltd v Australian National University (2009) - AON Risk Services Australia Ltd v Australian National University (2009) 239 CLR 175 DIFFERENT AMENDMENTS - A. AMENDMENT TO ADD A CLAIM: ABL Nominees Pty Ltd v MacKenzie No. 2 [2014] VSC 529 B. AMENDMENT TO ADD A CLAIM WHICH IS STATUTE-BARRED C. AMENDMENT TO ADD OR ‘SUBSTITUTE’ A PARTY - Mistake in the name of a party: r (4)-(5) - 10 DISCOVERY PROCEDURE FOR OBTAINING DISCOVERY - Order 29 - Obligations under Civil Procedure Act - Civil Procedure Act RESTRICTED RECOVERY - Discovery as to credit - Order for particular discovery DISCOVERY BEFORE PLEADINGS ARE CLOSED - Oswin v Radio Station 2UE [1968 NSWR 461 COLLATERAL USE OF DISCOVERY DOCUMENTS - Inspection of documents referred to in Affidavit of Documents - Supplementary discovery and continuing obligation to give discovery - Discovery from Non-Party DEFAULT OF DISCOVERY - Using a document that a party has not “discovered” - Documents found after hearing is concluded: CBA v Quade - Commonwealth Bank Australia v Quade DESTRUCTION OF DOCUMENTS DISCOVERY PRIOR TO SUIT - Preliminary discovery to identify a wrongdoer - Rule and the “Newspaper Rule” - Preliminary discovery for a prospective defendant: r INSPECTING SUBJECT MATTER - Freezing Orders Pursuant to the Supreme Court Rules - Zhen v Mo SECURITY FOR COSTS (NOT EXAMINABLE) 11 | COSTS OVERVIEW / MAIN POINTS GENERAL PRINCIPLES - Objective of costs - Professional Costs v Legal Costs COURT DISCRETION AS TO COSTS - Supreme Court Act 1986 (Vic): s 24 - Order 63 THREE DIFFERENT BASES: r (a) STANDARD COSTS: r (b) INDEMNITY COSTS: r - GT Corporation v Amare Safety [2008] VSC 296 - Legal principles on indemnity costs: GT Corporation PROBLEMATIC WINNERS 1. P who wins but receives less than what is offered: Offers of compromise & Calderbank offers Formal offer of compromise: Order 26 - Cost consequences for failing to accept formal offer: r - Foster v Galea & Sgambaro [2008] VSC 331 - Hazeldene’s Chicken Farm v Workcover [2005] VSCA 298 Informal / Calderbank offers: Calderbank v Calderbank [1975] 3 All ER 333 - Lord Buddha v Harpur [2011] VSC 568 - Vink v Tuckwell (No 3) [2008] VSC 316 - Verna Trading v New India Assurance Co [1991] 1 VR 129 OTHER SCENARIOS - Costs awarded against lawyers: r - Costs awarded against non-party - Solicitor / Own Client Costs COSTS AVAILABLE ASSESSING COSTS 12 | TRIAL PROCESS INTERLOCUTORY PROCEEDINGS TRIAL: GENERAL MODE OF TRIAL: r - JURY VERDICT DEFAULT JUDGEMENT ON FAILURE TO ATTEND TRIAL: r VENUE OF TRIAL: rr & ADJOURNMENT: r SETTING ASIDE / REOPENING A CASE WHERE FRAUD OR NEW EVIDENCE: Sovza; Spotlight - Circumstance 1: If fraud was involved in the original hearing - Circumstance 2: New evidence becomes available - Spotlight v NCON Australia (2012 HCA) - Soyza v Adolphus (2007 VSC) VERDICT & JUDGEMENT - Position where there is no evidence to support a verdict: r - Entry of judgement: rr - The “slip rule” and Amending and Reviewing judgements: r INTEREST ON JUDGEMENT 14 | ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION ADVERSARIAL SYSTEM VS ADR - Disadvantages of formal litigation - Advantages of ADR DEFINITIONS: s 3 CPA COURT ANNEXED ADR SANCTIONS ON BREACHING OBLIGATIONS IMPACT OF THE CIVIL PROCEDURE ACT