Judgment

A judge has found that there is no need to revise the 27.5 per cent group costs order secured by Slater and Gordon following the consolidation of two class actions against Insurance Australia, despite the likelihood of a larger payout to the firm.  

Legal experts say climate-related litigation will continue -- and even increase -- despite a judge's dismissal this week of a class action by Torres Strait Islanders alleging the government was negligent in failing to protect them from the harmful effects of climate change.

An appeals court has held that directors cannot be found guilty of unlawfully making a deal to prevent employees from receiving their entitlements if they believe they could be paid out under the Fair Entitlements Guarantee scheme.

Flu vaccine maker Seqirus has successfully opposed Moderna’s proposed patent for a mRNA vaccine, but an IP Australia delegate said the problems with the patent can be overcome by amendments.

A judge has found that the government owes no duty of care to Torres Strait Islanders to protect them against the effects of climate change, despite finding that there was a very real risk they could become “climate refugees”.

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has been given the go-ahead to amend her discrimination suit against former senator Brian Burston, but is blocked from relying on transcript evidence from his defamation case.

Dyno Nobel has lost its bid to invalidate three of explosive manufacturer Orica’s patents for a wireless detonation device, with a judge finding it was liable for patent infringement. 

Builder Acciona and consultant AECOM have been named as defendants in a class action on behalf of families of victims of a bus accident in Hunter Valley, NSW, facing allegations they were responsible for the construction and certification of the interchange where it occurred. 

A judge has allowed a Central Coast resident to weigh in on Optus’ challenge to a council's refusal to bless its plans to build a telecommunications tower, saying the council’s “commercial relationship” with the telco justified a contradictor.

A judge has criticised Mayfair Group’s “directing mind” James Mawhinney in a do-over of ASIC’s case over notes tied to Mission Beach properties, saying “vociferous and continuous efforts” to blame others, including lawyers, for investor losses did not reflect well on him.