A judge overseeing the Montara oil spill class action has found the Federal Court’s broad discretion under the class action regime is “outflanked” by the need to give group members a chance to opt out. But resolving that question on Thursday — which has divided the courts — caused a further wrinkle ahead of a hearing to weigh a settlement in the case.
The lead applicant in a class action on behalf of investors who sank $12.3 million into an allegedly fraudulent sports betting scheme run by convicted conman Peter Foster may drop the case after a partner in the scheme filed for bankruptcy.
A group of Jewish and Israeli former students who have accused a Victorian high school of allowing racially-charged bullying have defeated a bid by the state government to adjourn evidence at trial after its silk was diagnosed with COVID-19.
A judge has questioned a tiered contingency fee arrangement in a proposed group costs order by the law firm running a shareholder class action against Crown, asking whether the lower-end percentages were “meaningless”.
Insurer Allianz has lost its bid to claw back millions in performance bonds provided to collapsed building company Probuild in relation to works at a $1 billion development in the Melbourne CBD.
Keeping up her scrutiny of fee disclosures by Adero Law in employment class actions launched in her court, a judge has questioned whether the law firm breached its fiduciary duty to the lead applicant in litigation against Drakes Supermarkets.
A judge has ordered two law firms that filed competing shareholder class actions against failed Blue Sky Alternative Investments and auditor EY to team up to run a consolidated proceeding, despite opposition by one firm.
The West Australian government has flagged a bid to scuttle mining magnate Clive Palmer’s latest lawsuit claiming he can sue the state for up to $30 billion over mining tenements in the Pilbara.
A judge has approved a $1 million penalty against Queensland crane company NQ Cranes for engaging in a conspiracy with a multinational rival to divide the Brisbane and Newcastle markets.
A judge has dismissed a class action brought against animal health giant Zoetis over alleged side effects resulting from its Hendra virus horse vaccine, finding there were “too many uncertainties” in the applicant’s evidence.