Companies

A shareholder class action against Treasury Wine Estates has won access to information said to prove there were reduced wine sales in the United States, with a judge finding the wine producer's redactions of board papers were “not justified”.

Actor Craig McLachlan has dropped his defamation suit against the ABC, Fairfax and actress Christie Whelan Browne mid-trial just as the defence was due to start its case.

Clive Palmer-owned Queensland Nickel Sales has lost its bid to bring a breach of trust lawsuit against the liquidators of Queensland Nickel to recoup $102 million transferred after the billionaire suffered a courtroom defeat last year.

Two insurers have won an appeal that blocks group members in a class action against sandalwood producer Quintis from receiving a further $11.25 million after a settlement was reached almost two years ago. 

The Full Federal Court has rejected German drug maker Boehringer Ingelheim's appeal of ruling that shot down its opposition to Merck Sharp & Dohme's patent application for an injectable anti-parasite drug for livestock.

United Petroleum has taken Perth Airport to court, arguing it was induced to enter a $900,000 lease and construction agreement at the airport’s central precinct with empty promises of redevelopment at the site.

The Commonwealth Bank of Australia has hit back at a $45 million lawsuit alleging it failed to provide thousands of employees with paid rest breaks for at least six years, saying it had no responsibility to schedule or roster the breaks.

Ford is seeking an extended hearing of its appeal from a class action judgment in favour of 185,000 vehicle owners over their allegedly defective cars, saying a “significant excavation” of the ruling is now in order. 

A judge has awarded a Queensland motor vehicle assessor $18,400 in damages in a class action against Toyota over allegedly defective diesel filters in its cars that could see the automotive giant owe close to $2 billion to 260,000 car owners.

Ben Roberts-Smith, who is suing Fairfax for defamation, has lost an appeal of a judge’s decision refusing cross-examination of his ex-wife over allegations she accessed his private emails.