Judges

The consumer watchdog has sought more than $1.5 million in penalties against debt collector ACM Group after the company was found liable for harassing vulnerable customers, but a judge on Tuesday questioned whether the fine, which could leave the company insolvent, was too punitive.

The Commissioner of Patents will seek to toss a case simultaneously challenging its decisions to accept, grant and certify an innovation patent owned by one of Australia's biggest building product firms.

The Commonwealth has urged the court to strike out the "inconsistent" pleadings of pharmaceutical firms Otsuka and Bristol-Myers Squibb in a patent case over the antipsychotic drug Abilify, calling them a "scandal" which could bring disrepute to the administration of justice.

Maurice Blackburn stands to walk away with $5.8 million for its work on a consumer class action against Cash Converters that resulted in a $16.4 million settlement.

Defending against a fourth trade mark infringement lawsuit by the UK's Scotch Whisky Association, Australian liquor retailer D'Aquino Bros has told a court all of its Scotch Whisky was distilled in Scotland, and it has the paperwork to prove it.

The corporate cop's case against Westpac over allegedly irresponsible lending practices will go to trial after the Federal Court rejected the bank's $35 million settlement.

A shareholder class action led by Bannister Law against sandalwood oil producer Quintis will be absorbed by rival law firm Gadens in a consolidation agreement that ends a battle over the competing cases.

The NSW Government is mulling cross-claims against construction firms ALTRAC and Acciona in a class action alleging the government failed to minimise disruptions from the Sydney light rail project.

And then there were four. Plaintiffs law firm Slater & Gordon wants to consolidate its AMP shareholder class action with Maurice Blackburn's case and hand over the reins to its rival, a deal signed the day the Full Federal Court affirmed the power of judges to shut down competing class actions.

Hastie Group's liquidators have offered to drop their $124 million case against two dozen major builders if the companies agree to pay an undisclosed sum toward their unpaid bills, a court heard Friday.