Federal Court

Corby family suffers court blow over book defamation claims

Stephanie Gardiner The defamation action brought by Schapelle Corby's family against a book publisher has been dealt a blow in the NSW Supreme Court, with her brother's case dismissed and her sister's claims narrowed.

A birthday boy behind bars awaits his fate as legal bid aims for release

Daniel Flitton Like many a six-year-old, all Ragavan wants for his birthday today is to glue himself to a Nintendo computer game.

New judges to ease load

Jane Lee Three new judges will be appointed to the Federal Court this year to ease its workload.

Sex injury compo case goes to the High Court

Stephanie Gardiner It started with a dinner date and a tryst in a motel room in the country, made its way to the Federal Court and now a notorious compensation case about a woman injured while having sex on a work trip...

Stepping up scrutiny over Comcare

Daniel Hurst Claim scrutiny, rehabilitation efforts to be increased under a planned overhaul.

Pollsters willing to accept Kelly apology, court told

Christopher Knaus Two pollsters suing federal Labor politician Mike Kelly over a tweet accusing them of ''push polling'' were willing to accept an apology over the claims, a court has heard.

Koreans caught spying

Philip Dorling South Korean spies have been caught out in economic espionage against Australia, and a senior Australian public servant has lost his job for allegedly disclosing sensitive trade information.

Friends, spies and espionage

Yeon Kim was crazy about soccer. Born, raised and in part educated in Asia's most successful World Cup soccer nation, South Korea, he always loved the game.

ASIO could reject refugee security review

Daniel Flitton Former federal court judge Margaret Stone is reviewing the cases of 55 refugees branded threats by ASIO, and is expected to finish "within weeks".

Government seeks millions for drug delay

Melissa Davey In a landmark case, the Commonwealth government is seeking millions of dollars in compensation from a major drug company accused of delaying cheaper versions of a blockbuster drug from entering the...

Secrets and lies

Richard Baker, Philip Dorling, Nick McKenzie On a summer day in Sydney many years ago, two young Chinese nationals and two younger Australians stood before a greying celebrant at a Kings Cross marriage registry.

Labor donor's sham marriage

Richard Baker, Philip Dorling and Nick McKenzie A Chinese businesswoman who has been a generous Labor Party donor and long-time benefactor of influential federal MP Joel Fitzgibbon engaged in a sham marriage and swore false statutory declarations...

Comcare comfortable with record

Noel Towell Commonwealth Public Service workplace insurer Comcare has vowed to continue fighting high-profile compensation cases in court despite a string of legal setbacks.

ASIO justifies 'black hole' for refugees

Daniel Flitton ASIO has made startling allegations - such as plots to kill, training soldiers or terrorists, forging documents and people smuggling - to justify the indefinite incarceration of dozens of refugees as...

Boston bomber's sheik link played down

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus has played down any potential link between a Sydney sheik and the Boston Marathon bombing suspect killed in a shootout.

Fresh questions about World Cup bid

Nick McKenzie and Richard Baker Former top FIFA official Jack Warner allegedly stole a $462,000 donation the Football Federation of Australia donated to his Caribbean football organisation in 2010, at a time when the FFA was...

Corby book ruling reinforces photographic copyright laws

Harriet Alexander A copyright judgment that handed the family of convicted drug smuggler Schapelle Corby a windfall of more than $50,000 is unlikely to force a change to the way the media collect and use photographs.

Corby case tests media control of family photos

Harriet Alexander The Corby family watched helplessly as the photographs they had entrusted to the press in the early days of favourable coverage started appearing alongside stories portraying them as less than...

Michael Inman

Senior public servant accused of 'act of foreign interference'

Michael Inman Australia's domestic spy agency has lost a legal battle to censor the details of alleged foreign espionage activities by a friendly nation.