Lam Lin Tim, Patrick v. Lau Men Kin, Johnson

Read the full judgment text of FAMV 15/2000 on BabelCite. This FAMV judgment was delivered on 30 June 2000 before Mr Justice Litton PJ, Mr Justice Bokhary PJ and Mr Justice Silke NPJ.

Civil procedure – leave to appeal – extension of time – fresh evidence – loans – Court of Final Appeal – refusal of leave – no reasonable prospects of success – applicant in person – respondent represented by counsel – trial judge's factual findings not shown to be erroneous – failure to explain why fresh evidence not adduced at trial – application dismissed.

Legal issues: Leave to appeal against refusal of extension of time and refusal to adduce fresh evidence

Outcome: Leave to appeal refused.

Case No.FAMV 15/2000
Court
FAMV
Date30 Jun 2000
JudgeMr Justice Litton PJ, Mr Justice Bokhary PJ and Mr Justice Silke NPJ
Case Document
100%Judiciary

FAMV000015/2000

Not for circulation
FAMV No. 15 of 2000

IN THE COURT OF FINAL APPEAL OF THE

HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION

MISCELLANEOUS PROCEEDINGS NO. 15 OF 2000 (CIVIL)

(ON APPLICATION FOR LEAVE TO APPEAL

FROM HCMP NO. 3070 OF 1999)

_____________________

Between:
LAM LIN TIM, PATRICK Applicant
AND
LAU MEN KIN, JOHNSON Respondent

_____________________

Appeal Committee: Mr Justice Litton PJ, Mr Justice Bokhary PJ and Mr Justice Silke NPJ

Date of Hearing: 30 June 2000

Date of Determination: 30 June 2000

_________________________

D E T E R M I N A T I O N

_________________________

Mr Justice Bokhary PJ:

1. The applicant was the defendant in consolidated actions. One of those actions was brought by a company named Proline Products Inc. We are not concerned with it. The other was brought by the respondent. We are concerned with it. The claim therein was on three loans. They were of RMB108,000, HK$30,000 and US$5,000 respectively. On 22 January 1999 Barnett J gave judgment for the respondent against the applicant on the three loans with interest and costs.

2. On 24 May 1999 the applicant took out an application an extension of time for appealing to the Court of Appeal. Leong JA dealt with that application on paper. He dismissed it. The applicant renewed the application before the Court of Appeal. That renewed application was called on for hearing on 27 July 1999. It was dismissed because the applicant failed to attend. He then applied yet again. This time he attended the hearing. He also sought to adduce further evidence. The hearing took place before the Court of Appeal (Chan CJHC and Wong JA) on 15 March 2000, and was dismissed on the same day.

3. The Court of Appeal said that the trial judge had decided the case on facts and that the applicant had failed to point to any error of law or fact on the trial judge's part. The Court of Appeal also said that the applicant had failed to explain why the fresh evidence was not adduced at the trial and what bearing it would have on the trial judge's judgment.

4. The applicant now seeks leave to appeal to the Court of Final Appeal against the Court of Appeal's refusal to grant him an extension of time and against its refusal to permit him to adduce fresh evidence.

5. Before us he also made an unparticularised request that the respondent produce certain of is financial statements without which, he says, he cannot prove his case. We cannot order the respondent to comply with this request.

6. We see no reasonable prospects of the Court of Final Appeal reversing any part of the Court of Appeal's decision.

7. Leave to appeal is accordingly refused.

(Henry Litton) (Kemal Bokhary) (William Silke)
Permanent Judge Permanent Judge Non-Permanent Judge

Representation:

Applicant in person

Mr Christopher S.H. Lam (instructed by Messrs Hau, Lau, Li & Yeung) for the respondent