Judges

A judge overseeing a class action against Suncorp subsidiary AAI has questioned whether the "uncertain" plan B of a law firm seeking a 25 per cent group costs order was artificially uncertain to increase the relative appeal of its contingency fee bid.

A judge asked to approve a $50 million settlement in a consumer credit insurance class action against the Commonwealth Bank has questioned a $2.5 million deduction for professional services firm Deloitte.

A solicitor’s notes of a meeting with an expert do not fall under an exception to legal professional privilege, an appeals court has found.

After winning a rare injunction restraining the owners of a patent from threatening litigation, carparking technology company UbiPark has prevailed in its claim the threats -- aimed at itself and its customers -- were unjustified.

Shine Lawyers has lost its bid to recover $32 million in interest on a loan it took out to run two pelvic mesh class actions against Johnson & Johnson, with a judge finding it would make a “marginal settlement less than reasonable”.

ANZ's $47 million settlement of a class action over its consumer credit insurance has been given the nod by a judge, who has also approved recovery of the cost of after-the-event insurance held by the law firm running the case.

A judge overseeing the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s case alleging auto mechanic Ultra Tune failed to comply with court orders has labelled its managing director Sean Buckley as “one of the more dreadful witnesses” he had seen.

The judge overseeing the receivership of Melissa Caddick’s estate has pushed off a dispute about a collection of sneakers held by the deceased fraudster’s teenaged son, including one pair that could be worth up to $12,000.

The High Court has found a Whitsundays resort is not vicariously liable for the actions of an employee who urinated on his roommate in staff accommodation after a night of drinking, finding the act had "no real connection" to his employment.

Defending a class action by dealers over a decision to retire Holden, General Motors argues it would have been forced to close the unprofitable plant that manufactured the vehicles for the Australian market even absent the 2020 withdrawal of the iconic brand.