Roberts-Smith trial ready to resume with 15 witnesses anticipated to give evidence for respondents ... Building restrictions affect public and media attendance ... Palmer-McGowan trial delayed two weeks over WA quarantine regime ... Weekend sittings planned ... Courts Editor Stephen Murray reports ... more
Year: 2022
Benjamin Colin McGregor v Sarah Jane Darcey
Rare Federal Court jury trial flagged for sexual harassment claims ... Former Tasmanian ALP President suing over statutory declaration making allegations of sexual harassment ... Claims alleged to be part of factional power play ... Defences of justification, contextual truth and qualified privilege ... Courts Editor Stephen Murray reports ... more
Dyer v Chrysanthou & Anor
Costs of $430,200 ordered against Christian Porter and Sue Chrysanthou SC ... Costs arising from action by Jo Dyer to restrain Chrysanthou from acting for Porter ... Porter and Chrysanthou sought to halve costs ... Discount for senior counsel's costs ... Courts Editor Stephen Murray reports ... more
Vass v Nationwide News Pty Ltd
Art collector’s bid for specific performance of settlement offer fails … Sued over claims he broke up multi-panel art work against artist’s wishes … Evidence offer was induced by fraudulent misrepresentation … Courts Editor Stephen Murray reports … more
Green v Fairfax Media Publications [No. 4]
Technology entrepreneur awarded $400,000 in aggravated damages ... Sued over reports of market manipulation and over-hyped, under-performing blockchain startup ... Defences of honest opinion and justification ... Opinion piece ahead of trial goes to aggravation ... Courts editor Stephen Murray reports ... more
Sarina v O’Shannassy
Two Sydney businessmen win appeal over defamatory emails from estranged business partner ... "Catastrophe" for all parties ... Trial judge lost sight of wood for the trees ... New trial on damages ordered ... Courts Editor Stephen Murray reports ... more
Roberts-Smith v Roberts
Ben Roberts-Smith fails in bid to examine ex-wife over access to his email accounts ... Contention that specific documents sought in defamation case could only have resulted from inappropriate access ... Assertions rejected as "ill founded" ... Case management ahead of trial resuming on February 2 ... Courts Editor Stephen Murray reports ... more