Judges

The Federal Government wants the High Court to weigh in on a landmark ruling last month that found food manufacturing giant Mondelez was short-changing its Tasmanian shift workers on their personal leave entitlements under the Fair Work Act.

A Federal Court judge has dismissed an application by GetSwift to delay the hearing of a shareholder class action against it, despite arguments that a judge would need to be "superhuman" to hear the trial immediately after a civil penalty hearing brought by ASIC against the logistics company.

After four years of litigation, the Volkswagen diesel emissions class actions have reached an in-principle settlement of up to $127.1 million, with affected consumers expected to receive $1,400 per vehicle on average if 100 per cent participation is achieved.

The lead applicant in a class action by passengers of Scenic Tours luxury European river cruises who were forced to take the bus has partially won a bid for the High Court to hear an appeal of a mixed ruling on liability in the case.

The High Court has cleared the way for victims of a rubbish tip fire that tore through 17,000 acres of farmland in the NSW Riverina to claim more than $20 million in damages in a class action, after rejecting an appeal bid by the local council.

A judge has approved a common fund application in a class action against two IAG entities over add-on insurance said to be worth up to $1 billion, saying it was only fair to make all group members pay to fund the litigation.

The judge overseeing a class action against The Cosmetic Institute over allegedly botched breast enhancement surgery has queried whether the plaintiffs were playing an “April Fool’s joke” after they proposed a list of 120 common questions for determination.

The Queensland Supreme Court has upheld the legality of litigation funding agreements in a landmark class action judgment that could have a ripple effect across other states in Australia.

Publisher Pan Macmillan and nightclub magnate John Ibrahim have reached a $100,000 settlement in a defamation case brought by Sydney identity Thomas Domican over what a judge called a "fleeting reference" in Ibrahim's autobiography.

Bookmaker Sportsbet has expanded its case over rival BetEasy's attempts to operate under the 'Sportingbet' trade mark, arguing its marks should be revoked for non-use.