A judge hearing an appeal by a funder over its cut of a $98 million settlement in franchisee class actions against 7-Eleven has said the $12 million commission was “plainly too little”, and questioned if the class action judge had been “stuck” on the idea that common fund orders are bad.
A judge has held that there could be favourable costs consequences for Carnival if its rejected $15 million settlement offer in the Ruby Princess class action turns out to be more generous than the ultimate damages award, departing from a previous ruling that so-called Calderbank offers do not operate in group proceedings.
Cruise ship operator Carnival PLC has flagged a bid for indemnity costs after the lead applicant in a class action over a COVID-19 outbreak aboard the Ruby Princess rejected a $15 million settlement offer.
A law firm that lost a contest to run a class action against Toyota unit Hino has appealed a decision to give the case to a larger rival based on past experience, saying the ruling would act as a deterrent to smaller firms wanting to enter the market for group proceedings.
A judge has dismissed a franchisee class action against the Hog’s Breath Cafe restaurant chain after the lead applicants failed to hand over $1.23 million in security for costs.
The lead applicant in a class action against Carnival PLC over a COVID-19 outbreak aboard its Ruby Princess cruise ship has lodged an appeal after she won her negligence case but walked away with only out-of-pocket expenses totaling $4,000.
Companies and government entities paid out less to settle class actions in 2023 than in the previous two years, with no mega settlements hitting their pocketbooks.
A judge has awarded carriage of a class action against Toyota unit Hino to Maurice Blackburn, finding that the law firm’s experience and resources trumped those of small personal injury firm Gerard Malouf & Partners, despite its alliance with a large US firm.
The High Court has overturned a ruling that barred foreign passengers from a class action over the ill-fated Ruby Princess cruise in 2020, finding a class action waiver in the terms and conditions of their tickets was unenforceable under Australia’s consumer laws.
A judge has found Carnival PLC liable for failing to prevent a COVID-19 outbreak aboard the Ruby Princess cruise ship that left 28 people dead, but only awarded the lead applicant $4,000 for out-of-pocket expenses rather than the $360,000 in damages she sought.