Judges

The owner of a dental practice compulsorily acquired by Sydney Metro for the Metro West project has lost a bid for $6 million in compensation, with a judge rejecting its claim for ‘special value’ in the land.

The developer of the Berrybank wind farm must produce expert communications in a lawsuit over noise emissions from its turbines, but can shield documents pointing to any defects. 

A judge has found a director of defunct IT company Novo breached his duty to prevent the company from trading while insolvent, but has stopped short of ordering damages, or making findings he breached other duties.

Brisbane Airport has lost its bid for information about government-owned Airservices' handling of PFAS at other airports, in their $690 million dispute over use of the chemicals at the Queensland airport.

A theme park manufacturer contracted by Dreamworld to undertake $5 million in works has won a challenge to an adjudicator’s decision that found a payment claim was invalid because the company didn't have a building licence.

The judge overseeing the Robodebt class action, which settled this month for a record $548.5 million, may put the settlement administration role out to tender, saying the sum earmarked for the job was "staggeringly large".

Another judge has railed against the use of generative AI in court proceedings, after a self-represented litigant filed an application to annul his bankruptcy that was replete with fake citations.

A judge has ordered Facebook owner Meta to file its defence in the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s three-year-old case over scam cryptocurrency ads on the social media platform. 

Facing allegations that it misused its market power with major retailers, Mastercard is challenging a ruling for the ACCC that lays bare discussions about merchant agreements involving inhouse lawyers.

The director of collapsed builder Shangri-La Construction wants to expand his defence in a suit over allegedly flammable cladding installed in a Melbourne building to argue a funding agreement with an owners corporation was not valid because nearly a quarter of owners abstained or voted against it.