ByLawyers News and Updates

Local Court Rules – NSW

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A recent amendment to the Local Court Rules provides for transfers of civil proceedings from the Court’s General Division to the Court’s Small Claims Division.

Rule 2.3 of the Local Court Rules 2009 already provides for proceedings to be transferred from the Small Claims Division to the General Division if the Court considers that sufficiently complex, difficult, or important issues are involved. The same rule also allows such proceedings to be transferred back to the Small Claims Division again if the Court considers it appropriate to do so.

The new sub-rule, 2.3 (1A) allows the Court to transfer any proceedings from the General Division to the Small Claims Division if the Court is of the opinion that any complex, difficult, or important issues have been resolved, or that it is otherwise appropriate.

In either case, the transfer can be made on the application of a party or by the Court’s own motion.

A corresponding amendment to r 2.10 provides that an application by a party for transfer either way is to be made by a motion in accordance with Part 18 of the Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005.

The commentaries in the By Lawyers Local Court (NSW) – Acting for the Plaintiff and Local Court (NSW) – Acting for the Defendant publications have been updated accordingly.

Compensation indexation – NSW

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Various amendments for compensation indexation have been applied to the By Lawyers Injuries publications in New South Wales.

Each year on 1 October the various statutory compensation schemes and legislative caps have indexation applied to the maximum amounts recoverable by injured persons.  For 2022 these changes are contained in the following pieces of subordinate legislation:

  • Civil Liability (Non-economic Loss) Amendment Order 2022
  • Motor Accident Injuries (Indexation) Amendment Order (No 2) 2022
  • Motor Accidents (Determination of Non-Economic Loss) Amendment Order 2022
  • Motor Accidents Compensation (Determination of Loss) Order 2022
  • Workers Compensation (Indexation) Amendment Order (No 3) 2022

Wherever applicable, the commentary and precedents – particularly the Retainer instructions precedents – have been updated for these changes in the following By Lawyers publications:

By Lawyers always update our publications for statutory indexing. This typically occurs in most jurisdictions on 1 January, 1 July, and, as in the case of NSW injuries legislation, 1 October each year.

Family Court Act – WA

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The Family Court Act 1997 (WA) has been amended to reflect recent changes to Commonwealth family law legislation and facilitate the exercise of federal jurisdiction by the Family Court of Western Australia.

The combined WA and Federal amendments provide for the exercise by the Family Court of Western Australia of federal jurisdiction in family law property proceedings to:

  • determine the superannuation interests of separating de facto couples; and
  • hear bankruptcy proceedings concurrently with family law proceedings, where appropriate.

Superannuation splitting

The Commonwealth family law legislation has allowed the superannuation interests of married parties in proceedings before the previous Family Court of Australia, now the Federal Family and Circuit Court of Australia, to be treated as property for distribution since 2001. However, this was restricted to parties to the breakdown of a marriage.

The Family Court Amendment (Western Australia De Facto Superannuation Splitting and Bankruptcy) Act 2020 (Cth) inserts a new Part VlllC into the Family Law Act 1975 (Cth). This section provides for the distribution of superannuation entitlements between separating de facto couples in the Family Court of Western Australia. It allows superannuation matters under the Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) to be heard concurrently with other matters under the property provisions of the Family Court Act 1997 (WA).

Bankruptcy jurisdiction

The Family Court Amendment (Western Australia De Facto Superannuation Splitting and Bankruptcy) Act 2020 (Cth) also amends the Bankruptcy Act 1966 (Cth) to enable bankruptcy matters related to de facto couples to be heard by the Family Court of Western Australia in conjunction with family law proceedings. This is possible where:

(a) a party to a marriage or de facto relationship is bankrupt, and the trustee of the bankrupt’s estate is a party or an applicant in property settlement or spousal maintenance proceedings; or

(b) proceedings before the Federal Court or the Federal Circuit Court are transferred to the Family Court of Western Australia.

The Commonwealth Act also provides that appeals about concurrent family law and bankruptcy proceedings for Western Australian de facto couples will mirror existing appeal pathways for married and de facto couples in other jurisdictions.

The By Lawyers Family Law publications have been amended accordingly.

Magistrates’ Court appearances – VIC

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All Magistrates’ Court appearances and counter services from 12 September 2022 will be subject to the arrangements set out in Practice Direction No 6 of 2022.

The practice direction applies to both criminal and civil matters, including intervention orders and specialist courts and programs.

COVID recovery arrangements made permanent

Essentially the temporary COVID recovery arrangements previously in place under Practice Direction No. 3 of 2022 have been made permanent, with that practice direction revoked.

In general, remote appearances by clients and practitioners are available, encouraged, and in some cases required. However, physical appearances are also possible, mainly by request, and in some cases they are required.

The new practice direction sets out detailed arrangements for all types of Magistrates’ Court appearances, including:

Criminal matters

  • accused on bail or summons;
  • bail applications and other hearings with the accused in custody;
  • criminal mentions and applications;
  • specialist courts and programs;

Intervention Orders

  • applications;
  • hearings;

Civil matters

  • applications, directions hearings, pre-hearing conferences, early neutral evaluations and judicial resolution conferences are all to be conducted online, unless otherwise directed by the Court;
  • final hearings may be online or in person at the court’s direction.

For online appearances it is the practitioner’s responsibility to ensure that they and their client are able to join the online hearing with audio visual capability.

Magistrates’ Court publication updates

The following By Lawyers Victorian publications have been updated accordingly:

  • Magistrates’ Court – Criminal
  • Magistrates’ Court – Traffic offences
  • Intervention orders
  • Magistrates’ Court Civil – Acting for the plaintiff
  • Magistrates’ Court Civil – Acting for the Defendant
  • Dealing with COVID-19 legal issues

County Court – VIC

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The County Court Commercial Division Omnibus Practice Note PNCO 2-2022 came into operation on 1 August 2022.

The new Commercial List Practice Note is largely a consolidation of all the previous practice notes for the division into a single omnibus practice note.

The main changes are in relation to the introduction of electronic processes for discovery, affidavits, and subpoenas.

The Court has also issued a Notice to practitioners regarding the Commercial Division Standard Orders Booklet 2022, also released on 1 August and to be read in conjunction with the new practice note. This collection of the court’s required content and format for consent orders is to be consulted by parties drafting consent orders to be submitted to the Court.

The By Lawyers VIC Litigation guides County Court – Acting for the plaintiff and County Court – Acting for the defendant have been updated accordingly, with references and links to the new omnibus practice note and standard orders booklet in the commentary. There are no new forms or precedents required.

Additional updates have also been made to the commentaries for new Common Law practice notes that have been released recently.  The Court’s Common Law division has not consolidated its practice notes into a single omnibus practice note at this stage.

1 July updates – All states

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1 July updates are always a big focus for By Lawyers. Many Commonwealth and state legislative instruments provide for the scheduled indexing of relevant monetary amounts and adjustments – usually increases – in government fees and charges. These regular updates occur at the start of every financial year impacting many different areas of law, and therefore numerous By Lawyers publications.

These updates include court filing fees, lodgment fees for property dealings, land tax thresholds, minimum weekly compensation amounts for Workers Compensation, and penalty units for fines for various criminal offences and civil penalty provisions.

By Lawyers always monitor and apply these changes for our subscribers. Each year we ensure our publications are amended where necessary to reflect 1 July updates.

We also monitor and update for similar legislative indexing and increases which occur regularly at other times of the year. These include 1 January changes and other specific dates for various areas of law as prescribed by some statutes.

The 1 July updates have been applied this year, or are in the process of being applied as they get released, to the following By Lawyers publications:

  • Conveyancing and Property;
  • Business and Franchise;
  • Criminal;
  • Litigation;
  • Estates;
  • Injuries; and
  • Employment.

Quite separately, there is also usually a raft of new and amending legislation from both Commonwealth and state parliaments which is set to commence on 1 July. This year is no different in that regard. By Lawyers have made various substantive amendments to a number of publications to account for the commencement of such legislation. Please see the various other By Lawyers News and Updates posts dealing with those updates.

By Lawyers always keep our content – and our subscribers – up to date!

Motor accidents – NSW

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There have been a number of small but important amendments to NSW motor accidents legislation.

Relevant provisions of the Motor Accidents and Workers Compensation Legislation Amendment Act 2021 commenced on 16 June 2022.

The amendments include:

  • The definition of pre-accident weekly earnings in the Motor Accident Injuries Act 2017 has been amended to include consideration of any increased earnings to which the claimant would have been entitled had the injury not occurred. Circumstances such as a change of job, a planned move from part-time to full-time hours or a previously negotiated pay increase within 12 months before the accident can be taken into account when determining the amount of statutory benefits payable for lost income.
  • The calculation of weekly statutory benefits for lost earnings now takes into account any increase in the claimant’s actual post-accident earnings.
  • Clarification that anyone injured in a no fault motor vehicle accident, and who has more than a minor injury, is entitled to receive statutory benefits past the 26 week cut-off period. This amendment addresses an anomaly identified by the Supreme Court in AAI Limited v Singh [2019] NSWSC 1300, when the court noted: Notwithstanding that a path through the labyrinth of Pts 3 and 5 of the Motor Accidents Injuries Act has been found for the purposes of resolving this proceeding, it is apparent that these provisions, Pt 5 in particular, require careful and detailed reconsideration. Amendment will be necessary if a spate of litigation generated by the obscurities of these provisions is to be avoided.

The commentary in the By Lawyers Motor Vehicle Accidents – Accidents from 1 December 2017 guide has been updated accordingly. The link to AAI Limited v Singh which was added after that case was decided in 2019 has been removed.

Workers compensation legislation – NSW

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There have been a number of small but important amendments to New South Wales workers compensation legislation.

Relevant provisions of the Motor Accidents and Workers Compensation Legislation Amendment Act 2021 commenced on 16 June 2022.

The amendments include:

  • Changes to the Workers Compensation Act 1987 with regard to deemed diseases. These are certain specified diseases and medical conditions which are deemed to be caused by certain employment, such as asbestosis. The Act has been amended so that minimum periods of service in specified employment and minimum exposure requirements can now be included on the list of deemed diseases in the regulations.
  • Additional entitlements for volunteer firefighters, emergency and rescue workers under the Workers Compensation (Bush Fire, Emergency and Rescue Service) Act 1987. This amendment brings the compensation entitlements of these volunteer workers into line with those of paid workers. The new entitlements for volunteers include funeral expenses and funds management fees for dependent children of deceased volunteer workers.

The By Lawyers Workers Compensation publication has been amended accordingly.

A further provision of the amending Act awaits proclamation. This relates to an additional entitlement to compensation for any dependent children of a deceased worker. The fees charged by the NSW Trustee and Guardian to manage the dependent child’s lump sum entitlement will be a separate benefit claimable and paid by the insurer, so that a lump sum compensation amount paid to a dependent child of a deceased worker will not be eroded by fees. This amendment will be incorporated in the By Lawyers publication when it commences.

QCAT guide – QLD

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The By Lawyers QCAT guide has been extensively reviewed and enhanced.

The Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal matter plan and commentary headings have been reordered for improved sequencing and searchability. New commentary and cases have been added on various topics including:

Commentary on specific matter types in the QCAT guide includes helpful links to the relevant legislation such as:

These enhancements to the By Lawyers QCAT guide assist practitioners in advising clients and conducting matters in the tribunal’s civil disputes division.

Enforcement – QLD

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The By Lawyers Enforcement (QLD) publication has been extensively reviewed and expanded.

Part of the individual civil litigation publications, the Enforcement guide deals with enforcing and resisting judgments and orders in civil claims matters in the Magistrates Court, the District Court, and the Supreme Court. This publication is designed to assist practitioners who are advising and representing clients that seek to recover or resist a judgment debt, or other court order, whether or not the practitioner acted for the client in the substantive matter.

The commentary has been substantially re-ordered and enhanced to cover all available enforcement options in all courts, from examination and attachment to various warrants and writs.

New precedents provided on the matter plan include:

  • File cover sheet
  • Retainer instructions
  • Costs agreement and disclosure document
  • Initial letter to client
  • Letter of demand
  • To do list

Other related By Lawyers guides include Insolvency and 101 Subpoena Answers.

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