This Month
Melbourne Symphony’s discrimination trial delayed, lengthened
The MSO’s decision to call up to 20 witnesses means the workplace discrimination lawsuit brought by pianist Jayson Gillham now can’t be heard until next May.
Sacked JLL executives sue The Australian over millions in lost pay
In Federal Court filings, Peter Blade and Greg Pike allege the News Corp-owned publication’s “inaccurate reporting” cost them their jobs and humiliated them.
October
News Corp allegedly claimed to be writing puff piece on Groths
Legal action launched by Sam and Brittany Groth against the Herald Sun is the first test case of new privacy laws in Australia.
Senator ‘ploughed ahead’ with false claims, court told
Liberal senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price is fighting a claim that she defamed Central Land Council chief executive Lesley Turner in a media release.
September
Rebel Wilson sued over alleged false sexual misconduct claims
The ongoing legal saga across multiple countries has left the actor’s directorial debut on the film The Deb under a cloud.
David Sharaz ordered to pay damages, costs over ‘indefensible’ posts
David Sharaz was found to have defamed former minister Linda Reynolds in a string of social media posts that a court has deemed “indefensible”.
How Kerry Stokes’ $13.5m bet on Ben Roberts-Smith backfired
The High Court threw out the former SAS commando’s appeal last week, forcing his original backer to stump up millions.
Stokes gets $13.5m bill for Roberts-Smith’s failed action against Nine
The billionaire once employed the disgraced soldier as a Seven executive and was his biggest financial backer when he sued over claims he was a war criminal.
Higgins ordered to pay 80pc of defamation case costs
Brittany Higgins has been ordered to pay the majority of former Liberal minister Linda Reynolds’ hefty legal bill after defaming her.
High Court throws out Ben Roberts-Smith’s appeal
The court rejected the former SAS corporal’s last-ditch attempt to overturn a defamation loss that declared him a war criminal, murderer and bully.
August
‘There’s no one like Martin’: Linda Reynolds’ obsessive lawyer
Martin Bennett sleeps only three or four hours each night, and is much-feared within the West Australian legal profession.
Linda Reynolds wins defamation case against ex-staffer Brittany Higgins
The former minister, who has been awarded more than $300,000 in damages, remortgaged her home to pursue the action in the WA Supreme Court.
Bruce Lehrmann has no ‘sexual morality’, court told
The former political staffer is staging a last-ditch attempt to clear his name as he heads back to the Federal Court following his high-profile loss in 2024.
July
Lib leader’s wife hits back at ‘gossip’ on her ‘teenaged private life’
Victorian deputy Liberal leader Sam Groth has threatened to sue after comments about the start of his relationship with his wife.
‘Turned down island visit’: Trump explains cutting ties with Epstein
The US president claimed the late paedophile financier poached staff who worked for him, as he steps up his defamation case against Rupert Murdoch.
Macrons file US lawsuit over claim France’s first lady was born male
The 218-page lawsuit, filed in Delaware, accuses MAGA influencer Candace Owens of publishing “outlandish, defamatory and far-fetched fictions”.
‘Unprecedented’: Behind the email that blew up Minters
Veteran lawyer Peter Bartlett lifts the lid on the saga that led to the exit of MinterEllison chief Annette Kimmitt.
June
Judge slams ‘half-baked’ bid to stop bailout in Pesutto-Deeming saga
The former Victorian opposition leader has squared the defamation bill after a loan from the Liberals, but party members who oppose it are taking legal action.
Deeming sought preselection guarantee to drop Pesutto debt
The Victorian MP wrote to senior Liberals making a series of demands to halt her bankruptcy proceedings against the former leader.
Judge dismisses actor’s $614m lawsuit against Blake Lively
Justin Baldoni had accused Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, of trying to destroy his reputation by accusing him of sexual harassment.