Judges

Commonwealth Bank and its former wealth management arm Colonial First State have agreed to pay $249 million to settle a class action worth $900 million that would have tested a novel theory of corporate responsibility with implications for companies’ use of AI.

A leading class action judge has urged courts to lean into AI, suggesting the technology could rescue lawyers and judges from "mountains of documents or elaborate processes" that waste resources, freeing them up to do what AI cannot: exercise judgment.

A judge has suggested there may be merit in waiting for Johnson & Johnson to file a defence before deciding an application for a group costs order in a class action accusing the company of selling defective, carcinogenic talcum powder.

In a win for the ACCC, a judge has found online dating site eHarmony misled consumers about automatic subscription renewals and its free plan, which the judge found imposed restrictions that were incompatible with the idea of 'dating'. 

A judge is confused by a class action’s case for damages against Coles, after he found that the supermarket chain misled consumers through its 'Down Down' discount campaign. 

The former chairman of collapsed Arrium has denied that his purchase of 750,000 shares was aimed at showing confidence in the company, attributing his purchase to a personal policy. 

McDonald’s franchisees named in an underpayments class action over alleged unpaid pre and post-shift work by managers need to decide by the end of the year whether they wish to be bound by agreed facts for the initial trial, a judge has said.

A judge has allowed a former MinterEllison employee who has accused the firm of unlawful dismissal to give evidence by audio-visual link from a “quiet, low-stimulus room” in light of her medical conditions.