April 2023
Stay out of court, says outgoing chief justice
Federal Court chief justice James Allsop is leaving the job convinced that smart business people avoid court.
- Michael Pelly
April 2021
- Analysis
- Hearsay
Should judges decide if they are biased?
A curiosity of the legal system is that the person being accused of bias gets to make a ruling about whether they are or not. Moves for change are afoot.
- Michael Pelly
January 2021
Defamation plaintiffs on a roll
Elaine Stead’s victory over The Australian Financial Review has continued a run of adverse judgments against media outlets.
- Michael Pelly
July 2020
Daily Telegraph loses $2.9m Rush appeal
The newspaper has lost its appeal over a court ruling that it defamed Hollywood actor Geoffrey Rush.
- Liz Main and Max Mason
April 2020
Boris Johnson admitted to hospital as Queen rallies UK
The British government said the Prime Minister would undergo tests after suffering symptoms for 10 days, and would continue to carry out his duties.
- Updated
- Mark Landler
November 2019
Jumping the gun on defamation reform
Did Christian Porter steal some thunder from the NSW Attorney-General on defamation reform?
- Michael Pelly
Publisher gets its tone wrong in Rush appeal
Geoffrey Rush's smile at the end of the first day of the Dally Telegraph's appeal said it all.
- Michael Pelly
Judge just didn't believe Eryn Norvill, says Geoffrey Rush counsel
The Daily Telegraph lost the Geoffrey Rush defamation case because the trial judge did not regard its star witness as credible, the Full Federal Court has been told.
- Michael Pelly
Telegraph drops bias claim against Rush judge
The Daily Telegraph has dropped its claim of apprehended basis against the judge in the Geoffrey Rush defamation trial
- Michael Pelly
Judge's 'tone' revealed bias in Rush case
The Daily Telegraph claims Justice Michael Wigney kept making derogatory comments about the paper during the Geoffrey Rush defamation trial, and wants the verdict thrown out.
- Michael Pelly
October 2019
Nightclub owner's costly decision to knock back $80,000
Justice Geoffrey Flick decided that calling Tony Bellino a "prominent casino and brothel operator" was a fair call – primarily because Bellino didn't have a reputation to protect.
- Michael Pelly
August 2019
I wasn't biased, says judge in Geoffrey Rush case
The judge in the Geoffrey Rush defamation trial explains why he rejected News Corp's charge that he was biased and calls some of the submissions "fanciful".
- Michael Pelly
May 2019
Geoffrey Rush defamation payout hits $2.9m
Actor Geoffrey Rush has been awarded almost $2 million in lost earnings, bringing the total payout from his defamation battle with The Daily Telegraph to almost $2.9 million.
- Michael Pelly
Witness X in Rush case revealed
Hollywood actress Yael Stone has been revealed as Witness X in Geoffrey Rush's defamation battle with the Daily Telegraph, after the trial judge lifted a suppression order on her identity.
- Michael Pelly
Telegraph cites judge's 'bias' in Rush appeal
The Daily Telegraph claims the Geoffrey Rush defamation miscarried because of "apprehended bias".
- Michael Pelly
April 2019
Lawyers weigh in on #MeToo post Rush
#MeToo supporters say the Rush case shows the need for confidentiality around sexual harassment but that may compromise the very awareness the movement has sought to build.
- David Marin-Guzman
Rush case points to generational #MeToo divide
The judge in the Geoffrey Rush case tried to answer the conundrum: Why would Eryn Jean Norvill lie about Geoffrey Rush?
- Michael Pelly
Telling moments for #MeToo in Rush verdict
Geoffrey Rush had a resounding victory in his defamation trial. But it was another story for the #MeToo movement.
- Michael Pelly
'Journalism of the worst kind': Geoffrey Rush wins defamation verdict
Geoffrey Rush has won his defamation battle with The Daily Telegraph, after a court found the reports "extravagent, excessive and sensationalist".
- Updated
- Michael Pelly and Aaron Patrick