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Stare Decisis as Applied by the High Court to its Previous Decisions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 January 2025

R. C. Springall
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Type
Comment
Information
Federal Law Review , Volume 9 , Issue 4 , December 1978 , pp. 483 - 503
Copyright
Copyright © 1978 The Australian National University

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References

1 (1978) 18 A.L.R. 257.

2 Palmer v. R. [1971] A.C. 814.

3 (1958) 100 C.L.R. 448.

4 (1977) 16 A.L.R. 487.

5 (1975) 134 C.L.R. 201.

6 For some recent journal literature on this topic see: Bennett, , “The High Court of Australia-Wrong Turnings” (1977) 51 A.L.J. 5Google Scholar; Prott, , “Refusing to Follow Precedents: Rebellious Lower Courts and the Fading Comity Doctrine” (1977) 51 A.L.J. 288Google Scholar; St. John, , “The High Court and the Privy Council; The New Epoch” (1976) 50 A.L.J. 389.Google Scholar

7 (1913) 17 C.L.R. 261.

8 (1912) 15 C.L.R. 636.

9 (1913) 17 C.L.R. 261, 279.

10 Id. 288 per Higgins J.; 290 per Gavan Duffy and Rich JJ. Powers J. at 292-293 agreed the Court had a duty to reverse it if it was shown to be wrong, but thought that in the circumstances of this case it was unnecessary to do so.

11 Ex parte the Brisbane Tramways Co. Ltd (1914) 18 C.L.R. 54.

12 Griffith C.J., Barton, Isaacs, Gavan Duffy, Powers and Rich JJ.

13 (1910) 11 C.L.R. 1.

14 (1914) 18 C.L.R. 54, 58.

15 Id. 69; 70 per Isaacs J.; 83 per Gavan Duffy and Rich JJ. and 86-87 per Powers J.

16 (1942) 66 C.L.R. 10, 15 per Latham C.J. and 15-16 per Rich J.

17 (1952) 85 C.L.R. 237.

18 (1944) 68 C.L.R. 227.

19 (1952) 85 C.L.R. 237, 244.

20 Id. 282.

21 (1916) 21 C.L.R. 559.

22 (1906) 4 C.L.R. 97.

23 (1916) 21 C.L.R. 559, 565. With these views Gavan Duffy and Rich JJ. agreed and Barton J. at 570 reached the same result.

24 (1977) 16 A.L.R. 487. This case is more fully considered lat r in the context of the Court overruling constitutional cases.

25 Id. 515.

26 Id. 517. See the later discussion of such cases under (e).

27 (1935) 52 C.L.R. 570.

28 (1920) 28 C.L.R. 530, which held that the Commonwealth was not bound by s. 92.

29 (1935) 52 C.L.R. 570, 589 per Starke J. Note also the comments at 586 per Rich J. and 593 per Dixon J.

30 (1971) 124 C.L.R. 669.

31 (1970) 122 C.L.R. 504.

32 (1953) 87 C.L.R. 353.

33 (1971) 124 C.L.R. 669, 671.

34 Townsville Harbour Board v. Scottish Shire Line Ltd (1914) 18 C.L.R. 306.

35 Great Western Railway Co. v. Owners of S.S. Mostyn [1928] A.C. 57 and Workington Harbour and Dock Board v. Towerfield (Owners) [1951] A.C. 112.

36 McTieman, Menzies and Kitto JJ.

37 (1970) 122 C.L.R. 504, 518.

38 (1974) 129 C.L.R. 576.

39 Id. 582 per Lord Diplock, delivering the judgment of their Lordships.

40 (1974) 130 C.L.R. 177.

41 (1960) 104 C.L.R. 529.

42 (1974) 130 C.L.R. 177, 212.

43 Id. 226 per Gibbs J.; 236 per Stephen J. and 240 per Mason J.

44 Note also the dissenting judgment of McTiernan J. in Commonwealth v. Cigamatic Pty Ltd (1962) 108 C.L.R. 372, 380-381 in which he refused to overrule an earlier decision because it had long been acted upon, and the considerations taken into account by the majority in R. v. Kirby; ex parte Boilermaker Society of Australia (1956) 94 C.L.R. 254, 295-296 in invalidating certain provisions of the Conciliation and Arbitration Act, the validity of which had previously been assumed for 30 years.

45 (1978) 18 A.L.R. 257.

46 (1958) 100 C.L.R. 448.

47 [1971] A.C. 814.

48 Barwick C.J., Gibbs, Stephen, Mason, Jacobs, Murphy and Aickin JJ.

49 18 A.L.R. 257, 293.

50 Id. 297.

51 Id. 330.

52 Id. 321.

53 (1913) 17 C.L.R. 261.

54 Id. 278.

55 (1949) 77 C.L.R. 493.

56 Latham C.J., Rich, Dixon, McTieman and Webb JJ.

57 (1944) 69 C.L.R. 270, which deemed goodwill part of the notional estate of the deceased.

58 (1949) 77 C.L.R. 493, 496.

59 (1953) 87 C.L.R. 49.

60 (1950) 80 C.L.R. 432.

61 Dixon C.J., McTiernan, Williams, Webb JJ.; Fullagar, Kitto and Taylor JJ. dissenting.

62 (1954) 93 C.L.R. 1.

63 (1953) 87 C.L.R. 49, 99.

64 Id. 102.

65 Id. 105, 106.

66 Id. 108.

67 (1954) 93 C.L.R. 1, 8.

68 Id. 34 per Lord Morton on behalf of their Lordships.

69 (1962) 108 C.L.R. 372.

70 Dixon CJ., Windeyer, Kitto, Menzies and Owen JJ.; McTiernan and Taylor JJ. dissenting.

71 (1947) 74 C.L.R. 508.

72 (1962) 108 C.L.R. 372, 377.

73 Id. 389.

74 (1957) 99 C.L.R. 575.

75 (1942) 65 C.L.R. 373.

76 (1957) 99 C.L.R. 575, 658.

77 Id. 615-616. See also 626 per McTiernan J. who held the earlier decision on s. 221(1 )(a) to be manifestly wrong. Note also the obiter comments made by Gibbs J. in the Dickenson's Arcade Case (1974) 130 C.L.R. 177, 226 where he suggested that constitutional issues might be sufficient to justify overruling a previous decision.

78 (1977) 16 A.L.R. 487. This case is fully examined in Part 3 of this Review, p. 375.

79 (1975) 134 C.L.R. 201.

80 McTiernan, Mason, Jacobs and Murphy JJ.; Barwick C.J., Gibbs and Stephen JJ. dissenting.

81 The other judge in the majority, McTiernan J., resigned on 12 September 1976 and was replaced on 20 September 1976 by Aickin J.

82 (1977) 16 A.L.R. 487,497.

83 Id. 500.

84 Id. 501.

85 (1975) 134 C.L.R. 201.

86 (1977) 16 A.L.R. 487,492.

87 Ibid. He cited in support of this view the words of Isaacs J. in the Australian Agricultural Company Case (1913) 17 C.L.R. 261, 278.

88 Ibid.

89 (1977) 16 A.LR. 487, 514.

90 Id. 522.

91 Privy Council (Limitation of Appeals) Act 1968 and Privy Council (Appeals from the High Court) Act 1975.

92 See also the comments by Barwick C.J. in Damjanovic v. Commonwealth (1968) 117 C.L.R. 390, 396 and Latham C.J. in the Perpetual Executors Case (1953) 87 C.L.R. 49, 102.

93 (1912) 15 C.L.R. 182, 234 per Griffith C.J.

94 (1916) 21 C.L.R. 509, 529 per Barton J. and 551 per Higgins J.

95 (1935) 52 C.L.R. 157.

96 (1928) 42 C.L.R. 209.

97 (1935) 62 C.L.R. 157, 173.

98 Id. 179.

99 (1935) 53 C.L.R. 143, 151-152. See also the decision in Metal Trades Employers' Association v. Amalgamated Engineering Union (1935) 54 C.L.R. 387, 401 per Latham C.J.; 416 per Rich and Evatt JJ.; 435-436 per Dixon J. and 440 per McTieman J.

1 (1969) 120 C.L.R. 74, 82-83 per Kitto J. and 85 per Menzies J.

2 (1974) 131 C.L.R. 124.

3 Barwick C.J., Gibbs, Stephen, Mason and Jacobs JJ.; McTieman and Menzies JJ. dissenting.

4 (1955) 93 C.L.R. 113.

5 (1957) 96 C.L.R. 177.

6 Dixon C.J., McTiernan, Webb, Fullagar, Kitto and Taylor JJ.

7 (1957) 96 C.L.R. 177,183.

8 Id. 184.

9 (1974) 131 C.L.R. 124, 171.

10 (1961) 107 C.L.R. 157.

11 Dixon C.J., Kitto, Taylor and Windeyer JJ.; McTiernan J. dissenting.

12 (1961) 107 C.L.R. 157, 162 per Dixon C.J. and 165 per Taylor J.

13 (1974) 131 C.L.R. 124, 140 per Barwick C.J.

14 (1963) 109 C.L.R. 225.

15 Dixon C.J., McTiernan, Kitto, Taylor, Menzies, Windeyer and Owen JJ.

16 (1972) 126 C.L.R. 524.

17 Barwick C.J., Menzies, Windeyer, Walsh and Gibbs JJ.

18 (1972) 126 C.L.R. 524, 528.

19 (1972) 127 C.L.R. 391.

20 Barwick C.J., Menzies, Windeyer, Walsh and Gibbs JJ.

21 (1972) 127 C.L.R. 391, 394.

22 Id. 395.

23 (1974) 131 C.L.R. 124, 151.

24 Id. 175.

25 Id. 201.

26 Id. 180 per Stephen J. and 193 per Mason J.

27 (1959) 103 C.L.R. 256.

28 (1971) 124 C.L.R. 468.

29 Merchant Service Guild of Australasia v. Commonwealth Steamship Owners' Association [No. 3] (1920) 28 C.L.R. 495, and Huddart Parker & Co. Pty Ltd v. Moorehead (1909) 8 C.L.R. 330.

30 Amalgamated Society of Engineers v. Adelaide Steamship Co. Ltd (1920) 28 C.L.R.289.

31 Knox C.J., Isaacs, Rich and Starke JJ.

32 (1920) 28 C.L.R. 129, 159.

33 (1904) 1 C.L.R. 585.

34 (1907) 4 C.L.R. 1087.

35 Federated Amalgamated Government Railway and Tramway Service Association v. N.S.W. Railway Traffic Employees' Association (1906) 4 C.L.R. 488.

36 (1920) 28 C.L.R. 129, 160.

37 Id. 170.

38 (1916) 22 C.L.R. 556.

39 Griffith C.J., Higgins, Gavan Duffy, Powers and Rich JJ.; Barton and Isaacs JJ. dissenting.

40 (1916) 21 C.L.R. 351.

41 (1916) 22 C.L.R. 556, 581-582.

42 (1920) 28 C.L.R. 530.

43 Knox C.J., Isaacs, Starke and Rich JJ.

44 (1920) 28 C.L.R. 530, 556; see also 569 per Rich J.

45 Id. 564 per Higgins J. and 569 per Gavan Duffy J.

46 Waghorn v. Waghorn (1942) 65 C.L.R. 289, 292 per Rich J., citing Lozon v. Pryse (1840) 4 My. and Cr. 600,617; 41 E.R. 231,237.