Federal Court Amendment Rules 2008 (No. 1)¹

We, Judges of the Federal Court of Australia, make the following Rules of Court under the Federal Court of Australia Act 1976.

Dated 30 July 2008

M.E.J. BLACK C.J.

J.E.J. SPENDER J.

P.R.A. GRAY J.

D.M. RYAN J.

R.S. FRENCH J.

T.J. HIGGINS J.

P.C. HEEREY J.

C.M. BRANSON J.

K.E. LINDGREN J.

B.J.M. TAMBERLIN J.

P.D. FINN J.

R.A. SUNDBERG J.

S.R. MARSHALL J.

A.M. NORTH J.

J.R. MANSFIELD J.

A.H. GOLDBERG J.

A.R. EMMETT J.

R.A. FINKELSTEIN J.

J.A. DOWSETT J.

S.C. KENNY J.

R.V. GYLES J.

M.A. STONE J.

P.M. JACOBSON J.

A.C. BENNETT J.

A.N. SIOPIS J.

R.F. EDMONDS J.

P.R. GRAHAM J.

S.D. RARES J.

B.COLLIER J.

D.A. COWDROY J.

A.J. BESANKO J.

R.J. BUCHANAN J.

J. GILMOUR J.

M.M. GORDON J.

J.A. LOGAN J.

G.A. FLICK J.

N.W. McKERRACHER J.

J.E. REEVES J.

Judges of the Federal

Court of Australia

Contents

                        1     Name of Rules                                                                 3

                        2     Commencement                                                              3

                        3     Amendment of Federal Court Rules                                   3

Schedule 1             Amendments commencing on the day after registration  4

Schedule 2             Amendments commencing on 1 September 2008         6

1              Name of Rules

                These Rules are the Federal Court Amendment Rules 2008 (No. 1).

2              Commencement

                These Rules commence as follows:

                 (a)     on the day after they are registered — rules 1 to 3 and Schedule 1;

                (b)     on 1 September 2008 — Schedule 2.

3              Amendment of Federal Court Rules

                Schedules 1 and 2 amend the Federal Court Rules.

Schedule 1        Amendments commencing on the day after registration

(rule 3)

[1]           Order 21, subrule 1 (2)

substitute

         (2)   An order under this rule may be made:

                (a)    on the application of a person against whom the person mentioned in subrule (1) has instituted or conducted vexatious proceedings; or

               (b)    on the application of a person who has sufficient interest in the matter; or

                (c)    on the Court’s own motion; or

               (d)    on the application of the Attorney-General of the Commonwealth or of a State or Territory; or

                (e)    on the application of the Registrar.

[2]           Order 23, after subrule 11 (5)

insert

         (6)   If:

                (a)    an offer is made by a respondent and not accepted by the applicant; and

               (b)    the respondent obtains an order or judgment on the claim to which the offer relates as favourable to the respondent, or more favourable to the respondent, than the terms of the offer;

        then, unless the Court otherwise orders:

                (c)    the respondent is entitled to an order that the applicant pay the respondent’s costs in respect of the claim incurred up to 11 am on the day after the day the offer was made, taxed on a party and party basis; and

               (d)    the respondent is entitled to an order that the applicant pay the respondent’s costs in respect of the claim incurred after that time, taxed on an indemnity basis.

[3]           Order 41, after rule 7

insert

7A           Signature by electronic means — Registrar

                A requirement in these Rules that a document (other than an affidavit) must be signed by a Registrar is satisfied if a facsimile of the signature of the Registrar appointed under section 18C of the Act is affixed on the document by electronic or other means by, or at the direction of, an officer acting with the authority of that Registrar.

[4]           After Order 71

insert

Order 71A    Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006 proceedings

1              Conduct of proceedings

                A proceeding under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006 must be conducted in accordance with the Federal Court (Corporations) Rules 2000 to the extent that those rules can apply, including any modification of those rules for the nature of the proceeding.

Schedule 2        Amendments commencing on 1 September 2008

(rule 3)

[1]           Order 1, subparagraph 5AC (2) (a) (i)

substitute

                          (i)    by using the Court’s Internet home page at http://www.fedcourt.gov.au or the Commonwealth Courts Portal at https://www.comcourts.gov.au; or

[2]           Order 1, paragraph 5AC (2) (d)

omit

created; and

insert

created.

[3]           Order 1, paragraph 5AC (2) (e)

omit

[4]           Order 1, paragraph 5AC (4) (a)

substitute

                (a)    by using the Court’s Internet home page at http://www.fedcourt.gov.au or the Commonwealth Courts Portal at https://www.comcourts.gov.au; or

[5]           Order 1, subrule 5AC (6)

omit

[6]           Schedule 1, forms 173 and 174

substitute

Form 173   Notice of filing and hearing

(Order 1, subrule 5AC (5))

IN THE FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA                  Form 173

DISTRICT REGISTRY

NOTICE OF FILING AND HEARING

This application was filed electronically in the Federal Court of Australia on [date].

DETAILS OF FILING

Document Lodged:

File Number:

File Title:

District Registry:

Reason for Listing:

Time and Date for Hearing:

Place:

[Facsimile of Court Seal]

Dated:                                                                           Registrar

Form 174   Notice of filing

(Order 1, subrule 5AC (5))

IN THE FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA                  Form 174

DISTRICT REGISTRY

NOTICE OF FILING

This document was filed electronically in the Federal Court of Australia on [date].

DETAILS OF FILING

Document Lodged:

File Number:

File Title:

District Registry:

[Facsimile of Court Seal]

Dated:                                                                           Registrar

1.       All legislative instruments and compilations are registered on the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments kept under the Legislative Instruments Act 2003. See http://www.frli.gov.au.