Despite a judge’s complaint that class action costs are generally “out of control”, the law firm that secured a $192.5 million settlement and earned about $25 million in fees in the Montara oil spill case has won approval for more fees — these ones incurred in a hearing to determine how the settlement spoils should be divided.
Shine Lawyers’ bid to recoup “exorbitant” interest on a loan it took out to run pelvic mesh class actions against Johnson & Johnson has raised new ethical dilemmas beyond the usual “sweaty palms and huge vexation” in most group proceedings, a judge has said.
A judge overseeing a class action accusing Virgin Australia of failing to disclose its true financial position in a $324 million capital raising prospectus has joined a dozen insurers to the proceeding, which he said had “regrettably languished”.
ABC and Network Ten have dropped their fight in a defamation case by former Liberal staffer Bruce Lehrmann over missing CCTV footage from the night of Brittany Higgins’ alleged rape, after learning the footage was automatically overridden.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation has won its “highly unusual” application to reinstate its defence in a defamation case by ex-commando Heston Russell, after dropping it earlier this week in a bid to protect a source’s identity.
SkyCity may be the first company to test the strength of AUSTRAC’s claims in court, according to a judge who recently said in a separate case that the regulator’s habit of agreeing to penalties could give rise to a “moral hazard”.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation has dropped its only remaining defence in a defamation case by ex-commando Heston Russell over articles that alleged he was involved in war crimes, citing promises to protect a source’s identity.
A judge has approved a $450 million penalty put forward by Crown Resorts and AUSTRAC despite reservations about evidence going to the casino operator’s financial position.
The judge asked to approve a proposed $450 million penalty in AUSTRAC’s case against Crown Resorts has questioned whether the practice of regulators settling enforcement action ahead of trial gave rise to a “moral hazard” problem.
A proposed interest-free payment plan for a $450 million penalty agreed to between Crown Resorts and AUSTRAC has been questioned by a judge, who said it would have “the Commonwealth of Australia act as the Crown’s banker” for two years.