Restrictions OK
Jurisdiction Employment Relations Authority - Christchurch
Reference No CA 135A/09
Determination date 16 November 2009
Member J Crichton
Representation I Stewart ; R Brazil
Location Christchurch
Parties Anderson v Clip Joint Hair Salon
Summary COSTS – Partially successful personal grievance – Length of investigation meeting not specified – Respondent sought $6,000 actual costs – Respondent claimed offered valid Calderbank offer – Applicant argued legally aided, partially successful personal grievance therefore costs to lie where they fall – Authority found s40 Legal Services Act 2000 provided party in receipt of legal aid not liable for costs that were unreasonable for party to pay having regard to circumstances – Found costs award against person in receipt of legal aid may be up to level of contribution Legal Services Agency required from legally aided person – Found Calderbank offer valid and factor in exercising costs award discretion – Authority found if applicant had accepted offer, respondent would have incurred less costs, however, declined to give undue weight to Calderbank offer – Authority ordered applicant to pay respondent amount limited to contribution to Legal Services Agency – Authority declined to make declaration on costs level that would have applied had Legal Services Act 2000 not been in play – Costs to lie where they fall
Result Costs to lie where they fall
Main Category Costs
Statutes Legal Services Act 2000 s40
Cases Cited Awa v Independent News Ltd [1996] 2 NZLR 184;Jack v Ministry of Justice unreported, Shaw J, 18 Mar 2005, WC 6/05;PBO Ltd v Da Cruz [2005] ERNZ 808
Number of Pages 4
PDF File Link: ca 135a_09.pdf [pdf 15 KB]