Amalgamated Television Services v Marsden

Case [1999] NSWCA 312


CITATION: Amalgamated Television Services v Marsden [1999] NSWCA 312
FILE NUMBER(S): CA 40400/99
HEARING DATE(S): 17 August 1999
JUDGMENT DATE:
17 August 1999

PARTIES :


Amalgamated Television Services Pty Ltd
v
John Marsden
JUDGMENT OF: Mason P; Meagher JA; Handley JA
LOWER COURT JURISDICTION: Supreme Court
LOWER COURT FILE NUMBER(S) : CLD 20223/95
CLD 20592/96
LOWER COURT JUDICIAL OFFICER: Levine J
COUNSEL: C: JS Wheelhouse: RC Titterton
O: G O'L Reynolds SC; RG McHugh
SOLICITORS: C: Mallesons Stephen Jaques, Sydney
O: Phillips Fox, Sydney
CATCHWORDS: Discretionary interlocutory order - Leave to appeal refused
CASES CITED:
Re the Will of Gilbert (1946) 46 SR (NSW) 318
DECISION: Summons dismissed with costs

THE SUPREME COURT
OF NEW SOUTH WALES
COURT OF APPEAL
                            CA 40399/99
                            CLD 20223/95
                            CLD 20592/96
                                  MASON P
                                  MEAGHER JA
                                  HANDLEY JA

                            Tuesday, 17 August 1999
    AMALGAMATED TELEVISION
    SERVICES PTY LTD v John MARSDEN
    JUDGMENT
1    THE COURT: This application concerns a discretionary order in relation to the temporary withholding of leave to inspect documents produced on subpoena by a third party. It is clear that the matter can be revisited if the plaintiff gave evidence in advance of the witnesses referred to by pseudonyms or in the context of an application for inspection following discovery. In saying this, we are not inferring error on the trial judge's part. 2    Paragraph 60 of the judgment below indicates that the primary judge was persuaded at this stage of the proceedings that the material would not advance the defendant's case. No doubt this was because his Honour had inspected the documents. There is no reason to think that his Honour would ignore this factor if, in changed circumstances, the application for inspection were renewed. 3    Applying the well-known principles stated by Jordan CJ in Re the Will of Gilbert (1946) 46 SR(NSW) 318 we refuse leave to appeal. 4 The summons is dismissed with costs.
    * * * * * * * * *
Details
AGLC
Amalgamated Television Services v Marsden [1999] NSWCA 312
Case
[1999] NSWCA 312
Decision Date

CaseChat Overview and Summary

Amalgamated Television Services Pty Ltd (ATS) sought leave to appeal from an interlocutory order made by a single judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales. The precise nature of the dispute between ATS and the respondent, Marsden, is not detailed in the provided text, but the context indicates it involved a matter where an interlocutory order had been made. The application for leave to appeal was heard by the Court of Appeal of New South Wales, comprising Mason P, Meagher and Handley JJA.

The central legal issue before the Court of Appeal was whether to grant leave to appeal from the discretionary interlocutory order. This required the Court to consider the principles governing appeals from interlocutory decisions, particularly those involving a judge's discretion. The Court had to assess whether there were sufficient grounds to interfere with the primary judge's exercise of discretion.

The Court of Appeal ultimately refused leave to appeal. While the specific reasoning is not elaborated upon in the provided text, the refusal indicates that the Court found no error in the primary judge's exercise of discretion that would warrant appellate intervention. The principles applied would have involved a high threshold for overturning discretionary interlocutory orders, generally requiring demonstration of a material error of law or a wholly unwarranted exercise of discretion.

The summons for leave to appeal was dismissed, and Amalgamated Television Services Pty Ltd was ordered to pay the costs of the application.

Orders

Orders of the court

Summons dismissed with costs

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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