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Court

Victorian lawyers blast weapons bill

30 July 2010 | A peak body representing the Victorian legal profession has fired criticism at the government’s control of weapons amendment bill, asking it to withdraw it from Parliament.


NT landowners appoint firm to nuclear waste legal action

27 July 2010 | A group of Indigenous land owners from the Northern Territory are in Melbourne to challenge a Federal Government plan to build a nuclear waste dump on their land.


New military court set to be established

24 June 2010 | New laws introduced today are set to establish a new military court in Australia while also reshaping the current federal court system.


Lawyers face new rules in disputes

17 June 2010 | The country's first legal officer has clarified lawyers' responsibilities to help clients avoid court ahead of new dispute resolution laws.


Court now a last resort: new legislation

16 June 2010 | Those embroiled in legal action will now have to make all efforts to resolve disputes before heading to court, thanks to legislation introduced today.


Lion mauled by High Court of Australia

31 May 2010 | Nick Weston, the principal of law firm and trade marks attorneys, Nicholas Weston, comments on this month's High Court decision in which brewing giant Lion Nathan has been forced to change one of its trademarks.


Judge in favour of Middletons in Gullen Range case

10 May 2010 | Law firm Middletons saw victory in the Land and Environment Court on Friday as the Court approved the construction and operation of its client Epuron's 73 turbine wind farm on the Gullen Range.


A-G announces new federal magistrate appointments

10 May 2010 | The government whittled down 67 candidates considered for appointment as federal magistrates, recommended by a select panel.


Rio trial puts spotlight on China's court system

22 March 2010 | Four executives from global miner Rio Tinto will stand before a judge in Shanghai today. The three-day trial brings China's judicial system under the international spotlight.


Takeovers reach major landmark

15 March 2010 | It has resolved more than 300 disputes, hastened court time and improved compliance in mergers and acquisitions. On the weekend, the Takeovers Panel turned 10 years old.


New Chief Judge appointed in Western Australia

10:30 AM | A would-be Mallesons Stephen Jaques lawyer has been appointed to one of Western Australia's highest courts.


Lawyers called to task in royal legal saga

07:00 AM | If all the King's horses are not involved, all the King's legal men may as well be in a privacy legal dispute involving Kate Middleton, the girlfriend of Prince William.


Judicial complaints face new scrutiny

23 February 2010 | Bringing men and women in wigs into account has become the end-game for a host of politicians and legal representative bodies in recent years. Now, finally, they are getting somewhere.


Bring back the great dissenters

19 February 2010 | The current chief justice has garnered a new era of harmony on the country's highest court, according to new statistics released by the Gilbert + Tobin public law centre. But Kate Gibbs questions the cause. 1 comment


Kookaburra's laugh in court decision

11 February 2010 | It took a comic skit on the show Spicks and Specs for anyone to realise it, and the Federal Court to confirm it, but the Men at Work's song Down Under has taken its introductory flute riff from hit song derived from Kookaburra Sits in the Old Gum Tree. 1 comment


National judiciary sparks debate

3 February 2010 | The federal opposition has drawn a line in the sand on the idea of a national judiciary, saying the idea if "profoundly antifederal" that would be dominated by the Commonwealth.


Gwalia's legalistic approach slammed

20 January 2010 | Commentators have taken the federal government's move to overturn the effect of the High Court's decision in Sons of Gwalia v Margaretic as a chance to slate the court's decision.


Cost of court system to skyrocket

9 December 2009 | The cost of running the federal court system will increase by 22 per cent this year.


NSW women riled over briefing gap

7 December 2009 | Women lawyers have been left reeling over the results of a national survey looking at the gap between the appearances of women and men in the courts.


Lawyers push for new solutions for Aboriginal juvenile justice

17 November 2009 | Lawyers in Western Australia are furious over news that a 12 year old boy was held in detention after receiving a stolen chocolate worth 70 cents. 2 comments


Justice staff walk out of courts

16 November 2009 | Justice ministry staff have walked off the job for a day-long strike over a pay dispute.


Court rules in favour of climate change 'believer'

16 November 2009 | Employers can be liable if they dismiss an employee because of a genuinely-held belief in climate change, an employment appeal tribunal has ruled.


Firm hails Lehman court decision

13 November 2009 | Law firm Johnson Winter & Slattery is hailing a court decision that’s secured a victory for investors in Lehman products.


Judges to lose wigs

10 November 2009 | Western Australia’s Supreme and District Court judges will no longer wear wigs in court.


Lawyers flailing on ADR

6 November 2009 | Lawyers are largely unaware of the process of dispute resolution, and are foiling appropriate resolution of cases as they push them through the court system.


Flight Centre legal action takes off

6 November 2009 | Travel firm Flight Centre is seeking damages of more than $16 million from Ireland-based IT firm Datalex.


Pepsi in fizz over court decision

28 October 2009 | A new judgment has taken the fizz out of a monster case involving PepsiCo.


Court stymies litigation funding

23 October 2009 | A new court decision has cast doubts around the future of litigation funding in Australia.


Eye of the Storm hits Federal Court

22 October 2009 | The son of the founder of beleaguered investment advisory firm Storm Financial has begun giving evidence in the Federal Court in Brisbane over the company's collapse.


Court opens gilded doors

13 October 2009 | After six years of planning The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom has opened its doors.


Court rules in favour of ranting lawyer

6 October 2009 | A court decision has revealed the fine line between a lawyer acting without fear of favour on behalf of a client, and bringing the profession into disrepute.


Polanski case takes a new legal turn

2 October 2009 | A retired district attorney, who triggered claims of official corruption by telling a documentary filmmaker he had coached a judge in the Roman Polanski 32-year-old sex case, now claims he made it all up.


Court closures rile regional lawyers

30 September 2009 | A string of court closures has angered regional lawyers, who say it will hinder access to justice.


Court allows Lehman legal action in Aus

29 September 2009 | The Federal Court has opened the door for legal action against collapsed US investment bank Lehman Brothers.


Polanski's lawyers question validity of extradition

29 September 2009 | Roman Polanski's lawyers have vowed to fight his extradition from Switzerland 32 years after the film director committed statutory rape.


High Court of Australia, now open Sundays

25 September 2009 | The country's highest court has announced it will open its doors on the weekend.


'Win-at-all-costs' case puts WorkCover's power at risk

25 September 2009 | A recent and expensive case has highlighted the power of WorkCover, South Australia, to prosecute at will, riling the state's shadow Attorney General and its highest court.


'Here he goes again': Chief Justice on court inadequacies

15 September 2009 | Western Australia has reached crisis point as an inadequately resourced Supreme Court causes confusion and uncertainty for lawyers and litigants.


Lawyers versus hospitals in string of negligence claims

15 September 2009 | A mid-tier law firm will represent more than 50 former patients of Queensland hospitals who are suing for negligence.


Tiffanys mad over H&M's class

14 September 2009 | The store made famous by Audrey Hepburn is furious that H&M may ruin its reputation.


Judge orders mouth shut

14 September 2009 | A small court judge ordered a defendant's mouth shut after he tired of being interrupted.


Court faces messy end to trial

14 September 2009 | Apparently taking an insanity plea to its critical maximum in a criminal trial last week, James Orr squeezed the contents of his colostomy bag onto the table in front of him and ate it.


Prominent Sydney barrister cleared

02:00 PM | A prominent Sydney barrister can return to work as a director or senior manager of an insurance company after the Administrative Appeals Tribunal overturned his disqualification.


Court decision calls for new legal expertise

25 August 2009 | A landmark decision by the Land and Environment Court could see a new practice area develop for legal professionals.


Property lawyer's strife continues

24 August 2009 | The world of a one-time legal property giant could come crumbling down.


Michael Jackson's mother handed custody of children

4 August 2009 | Michael Jackson's mother was granted permanent custody of the late pop star's children yesterday, ending one of the court battles that had been brewing since his death.


Girl takes KFC to court for $10 million

4 August 2009 | An 11-year-old Sydney girl is at the centre of a lawsuit involving fast food chain KFC for just over $10 million.


Barrister's son in Darwin punch-up

28 July 2009 | The son of a prominent Darwin barrister has appeared in the Northern Territory Supreme Court for attacking a bouncer outside a Darwin club.


Legal publisher in court over fraud claims

28 July 2009 | LexisNexis charges subscribers extra fees for searches without warning them, an attorney is claiming in a federal class action in San Francisco.


Inject triage-like function into justice system: A-G

28 July 2009 | The justice system needs a hospital-like triage function that will help users navigate a "bewildering array of disparate institutions", the country's first legal officer said yesterday.


DPP, lawyers, in court over legal advice

24 July 2009 | The director of prosecutions, with three other lawyers, is in court defending himself against a former client, who is attempting to sue them for legal advice they gave 18 years ago.


England tests Australian-style litigation funding

21 July 2009 | Three lawyers are planning to float a $102m fund that they hope will make money by financing legal disputes as well as share in any damages awarded.


Sotomayor's questioning now under scrutiny

21 July 2009 | Despite some questions suggesting the contrary, senators at the judicial committee questioning of Supreme Court nominee, Sonia Sotomayor, undertook extensive study to prepare for the three day inquisition.


Lehman seeks court approval to gain funds, repay debts

21 July 2009 | Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. is seeking bankruptcy-court approval to pump up to $950 million into its struggling Delaware banking subsidiary.


Former Mayer Brown partner guilty of fraud

13 July 2009 | A New York court has found a former Mayer Brown partner guilty of conspiracy.


Michael Jackson's memorial spurs legal doubts

10 July 2009 | Concerns have been raised in the legal arena around an apparent rush-job hearing in which a jury decision was expedited by a juror rushing to make the Michael Jackson memorial service.


Attorney appoints new Supreme Court judge

19 June 2009 | Sydney barrister David Davies SC, has been appointed a judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales.


Blood smeared notes, threats, sent to lawyer

16 June 2009 | Despite threatening and sending blood-smeared notes to his lawyer, a man has won the right to have his case heard again with a new lawyer.


Litigation a boon for investors as economy falters

5 June 2009 | While large law firms across the globe are struggling to maintain profits, companies that invest in corporate litigation cases are flying high.


Sotomayor faces senators, hot issues

02:00 PM | US Supreme Court nominee, justice Sonia Sotomayor, will face 19 senators at a confirmation hearing in her journey to become the first female Hispanic judge at the court.


Chief Justice rallies insolvency lawyers

02:00 PM | The Chief Justice of Western Australia has urged the state's insolvency professionals to consider the costs that flow from a regulatory regime that encourages insolvency over financial restructuring.


The end of courtrooms a virtual reality

29 May 2009 | Courtrooms could completely become a thing of the past as new technologies pave the way for virtual hearings.


Judges confess: Ally McBeal-like lawyers distracting

26 May 2009 | Women lawyers tempted to go to court looking like Ally McBeal have been warned that male judges find them distracting. 2 comments


Chief Justice rules on court funding

20 May 2009 | THE Chief Justice of Australia's highest court has delivered a timely speech about the challenges of court funding.


ACCC applauds new Court system

29 April 2009 | The nation's consumer watchdog has applauded last week's confirmed roll-out of the Federal Court's new fast-track case management system.


Evidence, spin, journalists collide in Vioxx court battle

28 April 2009 | The Australian newspaper has condemned what it calls the collision of evidence and spin in the Vioxx courtroom battle.


Minters calls for better access to international clients

20 April 2009 | UNNECESSARY regulatory restrictions are standing in the way of domestic law firms boosting the value of their earnings overseas, according to an international trade expert.


Woody Allen to go to court over ruined reputation

17 April 2009 | Woody Allen cannot sue an American clothing company for damaging his reputation in its advertisments because he has no reputation to ruin, the company has claimed.


Intimate details of new Supreme Court judge on record

16 April 2009 | HAVING endured a personal run down of her professional experience and personality in front of her peers, The Honorable Justice Jennifer Davies has been formally appointed to the Supreme Court of Victoria.


Family victims to win in asbestos compensation: Court

14 April 2009 | Asbestos victims' families see relief in court.


Lawyer to stand trial on helping client avoid tax

27 February 2009 | A lawyer has been committed to stand trial on four counts of trying to help music entrepreneur Glenn Wheatley avoid paying hundreds of thousands of dollars in tax, AAP reports.


Italian job condemns lawyer

18 February 2009 | A British tax lawyer has been sentenced to four-and-a-half years in jail for accepting a bribe from Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, ABC News reports.


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