From a lawyer’s failed squatter’s rights claims to a “wild goose chase” in a class action, Australian courts had their hands full this year. Here are the top most-read court stories in 2025.
In addition to hearing a number of major cases, Australian courtrooms heard unusual comments from judges and handed out criticisms to lawyers for their strange misconduct.
In this wrap-up, we take a look at the top 10 court stories:
1. Squatter’s rights claim falls apart for former lawyer
A lawyer turned real estate agent was booted out of a supposedly abandoned Sydney property when her squatter’s rights claim failed.
2. ‘Whoop-de-do’: Court says federal judge made inappropriate comments
A federal court judge made several inappropriate comments during her questioning of a party, including “whoop-de-do” and “what happens at mother’s group stays at mother’s group”.
3. Judge disqualified for unusual conflict prior to bench
A Federal Court judge has disqualified himself from presiding over a proceeding he was recently involved in as senior counsel.
4. Magistrate on hook for costs after challenging move out of Children’s Court
A West Australian judge, who strongly objected to her move from the Children’s Court to the Magistrates Court, was ordered to pay the costs of her attempts to overturn the decision.
5. High Court tosses $1.4m claim brought against WA firm
A former client who escalated a claim worth almost $1.5 million against a Perth law firm has been knocked back by the High Court.
6. Judge recuses herself as result of Qld Law Society membership
A solicitor who brought proceedings against the Queensland Law Society over an article she was named in has convinced a judge she needs to recuse herself due to her “honorary membership”.
7. Alleged overcharging of accident victims by compensation firm, court told
Two clients of a boutique compensation firm will have their legal bills assessed after a third client had his costs reduced by almost $100,000.
8. Court fed up with lawyers filing ‘last-minute’ extension applications
While dealing with a potential claim against an institutional abuse law firm, a judicial registrar was left frustrated by the “apparent assumption” by some legal practitioners that it is open to them to make last-minute applications to extend deadlines.
9. ‘Difficult’ litigant again tries to derail negligence proceedings
A man who dragged his former lawyers through the courts for years and was criticised for his “extremely difficult and abrasive manner” made a last-ditch attempt to derail the finalisation of the proceedings.
10. Counsel sends court on ‘wild goose chase’ in vaccine class action
A court has criticised the work of a senior counsel and two junior counsel for material submitted in a vaccine class action, particularly the 812-page statement of claim that had the reader “running around in circles” while they looked for a “needle in a haystack”.
Naomi Neilson is a senior journalist with a focus on court reporting for Lawyers Weekly.
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