Truleconcerned
Read the NCAT website as it speaks about costs orders.( don’t remember what the url is)
You can’t ask for costs long after the case is closed
The time to ask for costs is either in your initial pleadings, or straight after the judgement is handed down.
When asking for a costs order, you don’t need to quote the act. The courts know what it is.
When asking for costs, you need to b3 prepared. You need to understand what costs can be asked. You can’t ask for payment of your time preparing the case or payment because you missed work. You can ask for lawyers costs, even if they did not represent you in court.
You can’t get costs at mediation UNLESS the other party agrees to pay ( unlikely) as part of the settlement agreement. However if a settlement is not reached and it goes to court, your costs of attending/ preparing for the mediation can be considered.
Costs are purely at the discretion of the judge, and it has been known for a party to win a case and yet get no costs awarded, or to have to pay the other party.