Courts

A new judge described as an almost fearless “dynamo” who once took a brief eight minutes before she was due to appear has given thanks to the women who paved the way for her appointment to the court. 

The Office of the Australian Information Commission will not take action against defunct court transcription services provider VIQ Solutions over the unauthorised access of court recordings, despite finding there may have been a privacy breach.

An appeals court has set aside a decision to refer the NSW Local Court Deputy Chief Judge to the conduct division of the state judicial commission, after the local court's top judge communicated with a panel member via WhatsApp about the matter.

Sydney has the legal talent, a speedy court and the necessary arbitration facilities to become an international legal hub, but needs government backing and a stronger pitch to the world, according to a new report.

The Federal Court is grappling with “substantial and evolving” pressures as the number of filings rose to 6,010 over the past year, including an “exponential rise” in the numbers of self-represented litigants.

The Federal Court's chief executive officer has blamed a process failure by a collapsed transcription service company for a February data breach, in which eight unauthorised people had access to parts of 88 proceedings.

A judge has called for an overhaul of the traditional expert evidence process, which he said was one driver of the high cost of civil litigation, remarking that courts are not an “expensive dispute resolution service” reserved for corporations and the wealthy.

A judge at the forefront of early case law on contingency fees in Victoria Supreme Court class actions has been appointed to the state's Court of Appeal.

A barrister whose performance in a remote trial drew comparisons to Al Pacino in 'The Godfather' has been sworn in as a judge on the Victorian Supreme Court, with the new judge promising to bring patience, fairness and hard work to the bench.

NSW Supreme Court Chief Justice Andrew Bell has warned that AI creates new risks and liabilities for companies that will have to be sorted out in the courts as the government adopts a 'technology neutral' approach to regulation.