Supreme Court of Victorian Court of Appeal ... Double blow for IT security specialist in appeals ... Sought to appeal Supreme Court decisions in actions against Nationwide News and Twitter arising from tweets sent by accounts masquerading as company's handle ... No basis for doubting correctness of decisions below ... Courts Editor Stephen Murray reports ... more
Nikolic v Twitter International Company
Federal Court of Australia ... IT developer fails in bid to stay settlement agreement with Twitter ... Failure to properly serve Twitter with originating application ... No reasonable cause of action disclosed ... No grounds for voiding agreement ... Courts Editor Stephen Murray reports ... more
Mohareb v Nine Entertainment Co Holdings Limited
District Court of NSW ... Nine succeeds in having negligence action against it dismissed ... Action brought by former Scotland Island resident ... Claimed Nine was vicariously liable in negligence and intentional tort for assault on him in 2017 ... Limitation period expired ... Courts Editor Stephen Murray reports ... more
Around the courts
District Court of NSW: Indemnity costs awarded against plaintiff who discontinued proceedings on first return date ... Federal Court: Builder loses bid for extension of time to bring a fresh appeal ... First appeal dismissed for failure to put up security for costs ... Courts Editor Stephen Murray reports ... more
Tziotzis v Nine Digital Pty Limited (No 5)
Supreme Court of Victoria ... Funeral director loses appeal over registrar's refusal to set aside subpoena ... Subpoena detailed spent convictions for theft and obtain property by deception ... Nine's lawyers made independent searches informing subpoena ... No breach of Spent Convictions Act ... Courts Editor Stephen Murray reports ... more
Greenwich v Latham (No 3)
Federal Court of Australia ... Mark Latham MLC ordered to pay rival MP Alex Greenwich's costs on ordinary basis ... No cause for apportionment ... Greenwich's bid for indemnity costs fails ... Offer in concerns notice broad and encompassed publication not found defamatory ... Courts Editor Stephen Murray reports ... more
Mitchell v Jobst
District Court of Queensland ... American video gamer awarded $350,000 in aggravated damages against professional YouTuber ... Video made allegations of cheating and contributing to pressure on a gamer who took his own life ... Contextual imputations substantiated but did not swamp seriousness of pleaded imputations ... Courts Editor Stephen Murray reports ... more
Walter Sofronoff v ACT Integrity Commissioner
Federal Court of Australia ... Parliamentary privilege issue looms over former judge Walter Sofronoff's challenge to corruption findings ... Findings made in wake of inquiry into criminal proceedings against Bruce Lehrmann ... ACT Legislative Assembly Speaker seeks to take part as amicus ... Courts Editor Stephen Murray reports ... more
Ben Roberts-Smith v Fairfax Media Publications; The Age Company; Federal Capital Press
Federal Court of Australia ... Ben Roberts-Smith seeks to re-open appeal to adduce new evidence and make further submissions ... Follows airing of recording of journalist Nick McKenzie in discussion with witness ... Suggestion that McKenzie was aware of Roberts-Smith's legal strategies ... Need for Full Court to consider application ... Courts Editor Stephen Murray reports ... more
Newman v Whittington
Supreme Court of NSW ... Family dispute resolution specialist awarded over $300,000 in aggravated damages, interest and costs ... Sued child recovery specialist over blog and social media posts ... Followed criticism of defendant's role in shambolic child rescue mission in Lebanon ... Courts Editor Stephen Murray reports ... more
Around the courts
Federal Court of Australia ... Case management in Senator Pauline Hanson's appeal against racial vilification ruling ... Availability of leading counsel at issue ... Seven day trial in Darwin set down for action against CLP Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price ... Majority of defences abandoned ... Courts Editor Stephen Murray reports ... more
Around the courts
Federal Circuit and Family Court: Court orders document setting out unfair dismissal claim be kept confidential ... Followed request for non-party access ... Open justice not a consideration when no hearing has taken place ... Federal Court: Former Seven producer commences defamation proceedings ... Courts Editor Stephen Murray reports ... more