The District Court of Western Australia lacks jurisdiction to restrain solicitors from acting on the ground of conflict of interest. Applications to restrain solicitors from acting must be brought in the Supreme Court, which possesses the inherent supervisory jurisdiction over legal practitioners. The statutory powers conferred on the District Court by ss 52, 53(1), 55 and 57(2) of the District Court of Western Australia Act 1969 are ancillary powers that do not extend to the grant of injunctive relief against solicitors where that relief is the principal relief sought.
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