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Case notes - Page 4

Short, sweet and must-know analysis of recent cases.

High Court judgments: October 2026

October 9, 2026

Chaplin v Secretary, Department of Social Services [2026] HCA 22 and Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Web3 Ventures Pty Ltd [2026] HCA 21 and Cullen v New South Wales [2026] HCA 19

Case notes·Legal updates

Deconflicting best interests: Lessons from Farrugia v The King

September 28, 2026

Gad Coffie, Dr Brett Davies and Dr Sue Kee explore the High Court’s decision and conflicts arising from joint representation, professional duties, privilege and practical implications for practitioners in Farrugia v The King [2026] HCA 28.

September 21, 2026

Covert recordings: Evidence or legal risk?

Brooke Curley considers the High Court decision on covert recordings, raising important questions about legality and admissibility in family law and family violence proceedings in Potter v The King [2026] HCA 25.

September 18, 2026

Federal Court judgments: September 2026

LPDT v Minister for Immigration and Citizenship [2026] FCA 332 and Staunton v MHK [2026] FCA 546 and Giggle for Girls Pty Ltd v Tickle [2026] FCAFC 64

Case notes

Court correct to find husband’s minority shareholding valueless

Keleigh Robinson and Craig Nichol from the Family Law Book discuss the latest family law case notes.

May 12, 2026

Case notes

Court of Appeal redraws the boundaries of WA surrogacy law

Jessica Henderson considers why WA’s top court ruled federal anti-discrimination law overrides WA surrogacy restrictions.

May 11, 2026

Case notes

Not every story needs telling: Family Court of WA confirms the limits of client-driven litigation

In Bailey and Petersen [2026] FCWA 50, O'Brien J concluded that the overwhelming majority of that material lacked probative value and should never have been filed, writes Dragana Blackwood.

May 6, 2026

Case notes·Practice updates

Costs dispute after barrister’s last minute withdrawal

Should an order for indemnity costs against a solicitor be set aside if counsel pulls out at the last minute?

May 1, 2026

Case notes

Same act, same tendency: High Court revives child sex convictions

Nicholas Hodgkinson considers the High Court ruling restoring child sexual offence convictions.

April 29, 2026

Case notes

Poisoning the testator’s mind: New Zealand recognises fraudulent calumny

A landmark ruling defines fraudulent calumny, but finds mistaken suspicion fell short of deliberate deceit in New Zealand inheritance litigation writes Joshua Pietras.

April 23, 2026