Companies could be on the hook for higher penalties for foreign bribery and other white collar offences after a High Court majority on Wednesday found a $1.35 million bribery penalty imposed on engineering firm Jacobs Group was inadequate.
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.
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.
The lead plaintiff in a class action by dealers over a decision to retire the Holden brand has settled its claim with General Motors, but is set to remain as the lead plaintiff in the case.
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.
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.
Law firm Johnson Winter Slattery has expanded its building and construction law practice, recruiting an experienced partner from Baker McKenzie to join its Brisbane office.
Slater and Gordon has agreed to consolidate its data breach class action against Medibank with one brought by Baker McKenzie, after the judge overseeing the cases railed against competing class actions.
A judge overseeing a class action over the Optus data breach will order the Information Commissioner to appear in court to explain the “delay and uncertainty” surrounding a number of representative complaints before the OAIC which are hampering the court proceedings.
A judge has questioned an ABC journalist who is the target of a defamation case by ex-commando Heston Russell if he should have treated a key source who another source called a “showpony” more cautiously while reporting on alleged war crimes in Afghanistan.
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