Chapter 4 - Parties Flashcards
PARTIES
Overview
1) General rule
2) Exceptions
GENERAL RULE ON PARTIES
Overview
1) A person
2) A body corporate
GENERAL RULE ON PARTIES
A person
A person: O.5, r.6(1)
- Any person may begin & carry on proceedings in court by a solicitor or in person.
GENERAL RULE ON PARTIES
A body corporate
1) Who is a body corporate - S.3 CA 2016:
- Any corporate entity;
Include foreign companies, limited liability partnership & foreign limited liability partnership.
2) The law - O.5, r.6(2)
- A body corporate may not begin or carry any such proceedings otherwise than by a solicitor;
EXCEPTIONS ON PARTIES
Overview
1) Persons under disability
2) Partnership
3) Sole proprietor or individual carrying business on another name
4) Government
5) YDPA & the Royals
6) Foreign sovereign & states
7) Societies
8) Trade unions
9) Deceased persons
10) Representative actions
EXCEPTIONS ON PARTIES
Persons under disability
O.76:
- r.2(1) & (2): litigation representative.
- r.2(3): act by a solicitor
- r.3(7): consent
- r.14(2): service on persons under disability
EXCEPTIONS ON PARTIES
Partnership firms
1) What is partnership - S.3(1)
Partnership Act:
- A business carried out by two or more person;
- In view to make a profit out such business.
2) The law - O.77, r.1:
- sue or be sued in the name of the firm.
EXCEPTIONS ON PARTIES
Sole proprietor or individual carrying business on another name
1) The law - O.77, r.9:
- Action against others must be brought in his own name;
- But he can be sued in his name or his business name.
2) Application - Arkitek Bersatu v Sempurna Cekap Sdn Bhd:
- As a matter of law the plaintiff can only be sued under the name of his business;
- But he cannot sue under the name of his business.
EXCEPTIONS ON PARTIES
Government
1) The law:
- O.73:
- S.3 GPA:
- S.4 GPA:
2) Action for tort - Kerajaan Malaysia & Ors v Lay Kee Tee & Ors:
- any claim in tort against the Government, the officer of the Government who was responsible for the alleged tortious act must be made a party;
- his liability must be established before the Government can be made liable vicariously as principal.
3) Action for defamation - Chong Chieng Jen v Government of State of Sarawak:
- Under s. 3 of the GPA, if an individual makes an allegation critical of a Government, which allegation if made against another individual, would afford ground for that other individual to sue, the Government may then sue in defamation.
There is nothing under s. 3 of the GPA that prohibits or restricts the Government from suing in defamation.
EXCEPTIONS ON PARTIES
YDPA & the Royals
1) Consent of AG:
- Article 183
2) The rulers:
- Article 181(2)
3) YDPA:
- Article 32(1)
EXCEPTIONS ON PARTIES
Foreign sovereign & states
1) Mighell v Sultan of Johore:
- Court of Appeal held that the Sultan of Johore was free from liability to be sued in the English courts.
2) Duff Development v Govt of Kelantan:
- House of Lords held that the Government of Kelantan could not be sued in the English Courts.
3) General rule - Village Holdings v Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada:
- Malaysia adheres to the “pure absolute doctrine of state immunity” which means that as a matter of international law, a sovereign state cannot be taken proceedings against in the courts of another sovereign state without its will.
EXCEPTIONS ON PARTIES
Societies
1) The law - S.9 Societies Act:
- a society can only sue through its public officer.
- a society can be sued in the name of their public officers or, in the absence of a public officer, in the name of any office-bearer of that society.
2) Scope - Chin Mee Keong & Ors v Pesuruhjaya Sukan:
General rule:
- An association cannot sue in its own name;
- an action should be commenced by its registered public officer.
Exception:
- If none is registered as such, then it is permissible for any office bearer of the Association to mount a claim for and on behalf of its members.
- This would put him on the same footing as a representative for others having the same interest in the proceeding which is permitted under O.15, r.12.
3) Scope - S Kulasingam & Anor v. Commisioner of Lands, Federal Territory & Ors: - a society may sue in the name of its public officer;
- in the absence of a registered public officer, a representative claimed by one or more of its office bearers on behalf of the society would suffice.
3) Application - Malayan Banking Bhd v Chairman Sarawak Housing Developers’ Association (FC, 2014):
- The action was not commenced in the name of the Association & it did not breach the rule of the inability of an Association to sue in its name.
- As no public officer was declared and registered, the respondent had initiated a representative action, as permitted by O. 15 r. 12.
- A society may sue in the name of its public officer but in the absence of a registered public officer, a representative claim by one or more of its office bearers on behalf of the society would suffice.
EXCEPTIONS ON PARTIES
Trade Unions
S.2 Trade Union Act
EXCEPTIONS ON PARTIES
Deceased persons - overview
1) Cause of action & general rule
2) Intestate estate
3) Testate estate
DECEASED PERSONS
Cause of action & general rule
1) The law - S.8 CLA:
- All cause of actions survive with the deceased except:
- Defamation;
- Seduction;
- Inducing one spouse to leave or remain; or
- Damages on the ground of adultery.
2) The general rule - Airey v Airey:
- S.8(3)(b): cause of action can be filed only after the deceased’s personal representatives have taken out representation.