Judgment

A judge has denied Austin Engineering’s bid for a $210,000 freezing order against a former sales representative, with a judge finding there was an arguable claim for breach of confidence but no evidence of a claim to more than nominal damages. 

The NSW Land and Environment Court has signed off on a land valuation agreed to between real estate investment manager Investa and the Valuer General for the site of the Coca-Cola Place tower in North Sydney.

A judge has recused herself from hearing the Victorian legal watchdog’s case against the owners of a law firm, saying she was "fortified" in that choice due to concerns raised about her longstanding relationship with the regulator’s CEO. 

In tossing his challenge to a finding that he committed war crimes in Afghanistan, an appeals court rejected Ben Roberts-Smith’s criticisms of the trial judge, finding the judge gave sufficient weight to the presumption of innocence. 

Administrators of construction company Roberts Co Victoria, which owes $272 million to 470 creditors, are justified in treating funds as if held on trust for subcontractors on six projects in Melbourne, a judge has found.

Apple has defeated a claim by an Australian non-practicing entity that its patents for a remote entry system were infringed by the tech company’s Touch ID and Face ID technology. 

A developer seeking to redevelop the site of the Hyde Park Inn has lost its bid for an extra 15 months to pay up over $95 million to the NSW branch of the RSL to settle the purchase, but a judge has handed it a win in the process for determining the final price tag for the deal.

HCF Life insurance has been hit with a $750,000 penalty for including a pre-existing condition term in a life insurance policy, which a judge found was likely to mislead.

The failure of two class actions to prove loss linked to the Commonwealth Bank's disclosure breaches was not the fault of the bank, an appeals court has held in dealing the latest blow to shareholder group proceedings. 

An appeals court has rejected Keybridge CEO Nick Bolton's challenge to a ruling that found that he and two other directors were validly removed at a board meeting, finding in favour of shareholder WAM Active.