Judges

A class action by property owners near a GrainCorp factory in rural Victoria has defeated the company's bid for security for costs, with a judge finding the orders would "stultify" the proceedings.

Logistics company Qube has claimed privilege over documents that allegedly record a meeting between its consultant and its solicitors at King & Wood Mallesons and Pinsent Masons in a dispute with Martinus Rail. 

A court has found that a minister's decision to sell a section of Crown land to a buyer intending to carve it into 15 lots was made in breach of planning laws. 

Property developer and former director of collapsed Keystone Asset Management Paul Chiodo wants his suit against Keystone’s liquidators managed alongside their case against the owner of City Built.

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission has been given the green light to pursue a consumer case alleging defunct online retailer Snaffle charged consumers inflated prices.

A judge has remarked that the counsel fee rate guide is now 13 years out of date and no longer serves its purpose, in a ruling ordering $1.5 million in costs against Golden Eagle Property Group.

A judge has allowed an engineer to conduct invasive testing on 16 tennis courts in Western Sydney which a local council claims need to be replaced due to defects.

A developer can have recourse to $740,000 in security following building delays, with a judge finding that its contract with Rawcorp for the construction of a Coolangatta apartment complex created an unfettered right to call on the security. 

The High Court has dismissed Sunshine Loans' second attempt to have a judge recuse himself from a penalty hearing in ASIC’s case against the payday lender, despite his criticism of a witness due to give further evidence.

The Commonwealth Bank has avoided a separate hearing over its cross-appeal in shareholder class actions that have reached the High Court.