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Rio Tinto execs’ trial can wait until COVID-19 vaccine, court hears
A former Rio Tinto executive living in the US who wants to appear in person at an upcoming trial in a case brought by ASIC says the hearing should be moved to next year when a COVID-19 vaccine will likely become available and he could travel to Australia to "mount a vital defence".
Law firm investigates COVID-19 business interruption class action
Insurers may face a class action by holders of business interruption insurance that have had their COVID-19-related claims rejected, following their loss in a test case over whether an infectious disease exclusion in business interruption cover applies to coronavirus-related claims.
Insurers lose COVID-19 business interruption test case
Insurers will face a flood of pandemic-related claims after an appeals court ruled in a test case brought by the Insurance Council that certain infectious disease exclusions in business interruption cover do not apply to coronavirus-related claims.
Barristers call for end to secrecy of judicial appointments process
The recent appointments to the High Court have mystified some senior members of the bar, raising questions about the secretive nature of the process and prompting renewed calls for an independent judicial appointments panel to expose the selection process to the light of day.
High Court won’t hear Kraft, Bega peanut butter trade dress dispute
The High Court won't wade into Kraft-Heinz's intellectual property dispute with Bega after the US food giant came up short twice its battle over the right to use its peanut butter trade dress in Australia.
In loss for Seiko, High Court adopts patent exhaustion doctrine
The High Court has ruled that a patentee's rights to control what can be done with a patented product after it is sold are "exhausted" upon sale.
High Court questions power to hold class action contests
That a first filed case should be the presumptive winner in a competition between class actions seemed a losing argument before the High Court on Tuesday as the justices weighed a challenge to a ruling picking one among a group of class actions against AMP, but the court also appeared skeptical of the power to hold wide ranging inquiries into the merits of competing cases.
High Court set to rule on patent exhaustion in ink cartridge case
The High Court will hand down its highly anticipated decision in a patent dispute between printer giant Seiko Epson and ink cartridge reseller Calidad on Thursday, a ruling expected to provide clarity on the the rights of businesses to modify patented goods.
COVID-19 economic crisis, class actions and funded litigation
Will we see an increase in class actions and funded litigation following the COVID-19 financial crisis similar to that following the global financial crisis? If there is an onslaught of corporate failures, including failed managed investment schemes, then such litigation seems likely to ensue. However, in the last year, Parliament and the courts have taken steps which might slow such litigious activity, says Susan Goodman of Holding Redlich.
Class action beauty parade takes centre stage at High Court
The eyes of class action lawyers will be on the High Court Tuesday as it hears arguments over a judge's power to choose a single class action among competing proceedings and what, if anything, should be made of a case's funding structure and likely returns to group members when picking a winner.