Judges

Hospitality giant Merivale has streamlined its defence of a $129 million underpayment class action, arguing that it shouldn't be expected to back pay employees because it operated its business under the mistaken belief that its enterprise agreement governing staff at 70 of its venues was valid.

The lawyers and funder behind a shareholder class action against Crown Resorts will be asking the court to approve fees and commission worth 35 per cent of a $125 million settlement with the gaming giant, leaving over $81 million for group members.

Defence minister Peter Dutton has won $35,000 in damages in a defamation case over a tweet accusing him of being a rape apologist, with a judge finding the tweet conveyed that the minister “excuses rape”.

Melbourne-based joint venture Shepparton Partners Collective has lost its appeal of a $1.2 million judgment that found it infringed software developer QAD's copyright by failing to pay a transfer fee to retain the licence after it acquired the iconic SPC Ardmona cannery in Victoria from Coca-Cola Amatil for $40 million.

A court has summarily dismissed a lawsuit accusing the Victorian government of acting unlawfully by improving the Western Highway and threatening to harm six 'directions' trees of cultural significance to the Djab Wurrung people.

Construction equipment giant Caterpillar has resolved its dispute with a former employee accused of flagrantly copying "many thousands" of confidential files before taking a job with a competitor.

A judge overseeing a climate change class action against the government will be invited to visit the Torres Strait to see the alleged erosion of sacred sites, but before then the Commonwealth is seeking details on when it allegedly knew of the effects of global warming and the scope of its alleged duty of care.

McDonald’s Australia has been joined as a second respondent in a union-led lawsuit that accuses the fast food giant of “conspiring to deliberately deny workers their breaks”.

Supermarket chain Romeo's has reached a settlement in two class actions alleging staff were underpaid, but details of the agreements are scant.

A lawyer for Rentokil has told a court the pest control company is scratching its head over the defence by a former manager accused of a $3.2 million fraudulent invoice scheme, noting the employee admits invoices were paid into his personal account.