DD Growth Premium Master Fund ((in Liquidation)) v PNC Global Investment Servicing (Europe) Ltd
Jurisdiction | Ireland |
Court | High Court |
Judge | Mr. Justice Brian J. McGovern |
Judgment Date | 20 December 2016 |
Neutral Citation | [2016] IEHC 742 |
Docket Number | [2014 No. 5675 P.] |
Date | 20 December 2016 |
[2016] IEHC 742
THE HIGH COURT
McGovern J.
[2014 No. 5675 P.]
Practice and Procedures – O. 18, r. 1 of the Rules of the Superior Courts – Leave to amend the defence – Lack of material change – Amplification of earlier defence
Facts: The defendant sought leave to amend its defence. The plaintiff submitted that the proposed amendment radically altered the nature of the defence and introduced new matters. The defendant argued that the said amendment of defence was necessary to resolve the issues between the parties as by the proposed amendment, the defendant wished to raise the plea of statute of limitations and furnish the list of the persons against whom the plaintiff should have made the claim.
Mr. Justice Brian J. McGovern granted leave to the defendant to amend its defence. The Court held that the amendments were necessary to ensure that all of the real controversies between the parties could be determined at the trial of the proceedings. The Court observed that there had been no delay in bringing the present application. The Court stated that no new material facts were introduced by the proposed amendment and it was merely an amplification of the earlier pleaded defence.
By notice of motion dated 21st September, 2016, the defendant seeks two orders. The first order has been made by this Court on 19th December, 2016; namely, an order substituting B.N.Y. Mellon Fund Services (Ireland) D.A.C. as defendant to the proceedings as all the assets and liabilities of the original defendant had been transferred to it by operation of law.
The second order sought in the notice of motion is an order pursuant to O. 28, r. 1 of the Rules of the Superior Courts and/or O. 63A, r. 5 and/or 6 of the Rules of the Superior Courts and/or under the inherent jurisdiction of the court granting the defendant leave to amend its defence. The amendments are to be found at paras. 35 and 36 of the draft amended defence which is exhibit ‘KS2’ in the affidavit of Mr. Keith Smith sworn on 21st day of September, 2016. A very minor amendment to para. 35 was not opposed and I will grant that amendment. The main amendment is to be found in para. 36 and the particulars attached to same. The plaintiff opposes the amendment sought.
In Croke v. Waterford Crystal [2005] 2 I.R. 383 , Geoghegan J. stated at 393:-
‘…the primary consideration of the court must be whether the amendments are necessary for the purpose of determining the real questions of controversy in the litigation.’
Where an amendment can be made without prejudice to the other party and will enable the real issues between the parties to be tried, the court's discretion should be exercised in favour of making the amendment sought. In Moorehouse v. Governor of Wheatfield Prison [2015] IESC 21, MacMenamin J. stated at para. 40:-
‘As Geoghegan J., speaking for this Court, in Croke v. Waterford Crystal Limited & Irish Pensions Trust Limited [2005] 2 I.R. 383 pointed out, the Rules of the Superior Courts, insofar as they concern amendments are intended to be “liberal”, and intended for the purpose of ensuring that the real matters in controversy between the parties are determined by the courts.’
The plaintiff argues that the proposed amendments radically alter the nature of the defence and introduce new matters; accordingly, it is necessary for the defendant to give to the court good reason for not having originally made that plea and for seeking the amendment at this stage. They rely on the observations of Flood J. in Palamos Properties Limited v. Brooks [1996] 3 I.R. 597 at 605 where he said:-
‘…there must be such evidence from which an inference can reasonably be...
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P.C. [A Minor] v Doran
...Masterfund (In Liquidation) v. PNC Global Investment Service (Euro) Ltd now known as BMY Mellon Investments Service (International) Ltd [2016] IEHC 742 wherein McGovern J., in allowing the amendment sought, found that the amended defence sought to raise legal consequences flowing from matte......