Billionaire Kerry Stokes has lost his challenge to paying in lump sum Fairfax’s legal fees in defending Ben Roberts-Smith’s failed defamation case over war crimes allegations, having argued for an itemised bill after the Seven West Media chair agreed to foot the costs on an indemnity basis.
Billionaire Kerry Stokes and Nine-owned Fairfax are fighting about how to calculate costs for Ben Roberts-Smith’s failed defamation case after the Seven West Media chair agreed to foot the legal bill on an indemnity basis.
Seven West Media chair Kerry Stokes has agreed to pay the costs of Ben Roberts-Smith’s failed defamation case, sparing the billionaire from producing thousands of emails exchanged with Roberts-Smith’s solicitors about the case. The Stokes-owned Australian Capital Equity has acquiesced to a third-party costs order sought by Nine-owned Fairfax, according to a Federal Court order…
An appeals court has refused to set aside subpoenas forcing Seven to produce some of the 8,600 emails it exchanged with Ben Roberts-Smith’s solicitors concerning his failed defamation case over alleged war crimes he committed in Afghanistan.
Ben Roberts-Smith has been hit with indemnity costs for his failed defamation case over articles accusing him of war crimes, with a judge agreeing with the publishers that the former SAS corporal knew the allegations were substantially true.
The judge overseeing ex-commando Heston Russell’s defamation case against the ABC over reporting of alleged war crimes will be involved in assessing his costs after media reports put his lawyers’ fees at $2 million.
A judge has awarded ex-commando Heston Russell $390,000 in damages over coverage of alleged war crimes in Afghanistan, in the first ever post-trial judgment in a defamation case to consider the public interest defence.
Former SAS corporal Ben Roberts-Smith has been ordered pay $910,000 in security for costs as he appeals a defamation ruling that found he committed murder in Afghanistan and was not a reliable witness.
In allowing Seven and chairman Kerry Stokes to challenge a ruling granting Fairfax access to 8,600 emails with accused war criminal Ben Roberts-Smith’s legal team, a judge has said they will suffer prejudice if “personally embarrassing” communications are put into evidence.
Seven Network and chairman Kerry Stokes can challenge a ruling allowing Fairfax to access thousands of “deeply personal” emails sent to and from former soldier Ben Roberts-Smith during his defamation case.