Law Report

Research published earlier this year examines the impact of heavy workloads on the wellbeing of judicial officers and the quality of justice delivered.

Veteran crime reporter John Silvester talks to Damien Carrick about some of the big developments in the criminal justice space in recent weeks.

It's the Australian trial verdict that attracted worldwide attention. 

Tasmanian Supreme Court Justice Gregory Geason resigned after he was convicted and sentenced for assault and emotional abuse or intimidation. The Law Report looks at the broader question of how Australian jurisdictions balance judicial independence with accountability.

The High Court has found that it is not possible to find the Catholic Church 'vicariously liable' for the actions of molesting priests because they are not legally speaking employees. And Victorian drivers with medicinal cannabis in their system will no longer automatically lose their licence.

What does Donald Trump's election victory mean for his legal problems? And the case of a daughter who sued her father for sharing their private conversations. 

What's it like to have the responsibility to decide if a serious violent offender should be released from prison and allowed back into the community?

Two unfair dismissal cases highlight a changing workplace.  A Philippines based legal assistant has just won the right to bring an unfair dismissal case against her former employer. And the case of the stevedore with a medicinal cannabis prescription.

In his first media interview, Administrative Review Tribunal President Justice Emilios Kyrou outlines some of his new powers. They include the ability to order the publication of low level, routine decisions, which may reveal systemic bureaucratic failures such as the Robodebt disaster.

How should the law respond to the risks and benefits of Artificial Intelligence?

How do tenancy tribunals balance the competing needs of tenants and landlords? And why is Victoria - from a tenants' perspective - ahead of the pack? 

To what extent should employers be able to restrict employees from expressing their views and opinions in public?

Mexico is set to become the first country in the world to allow voters to elect every one of its 7,000 judges.

What happens when serious juror misconduct jeopardises a trial? And how can jurors be protected from outside pressures?

A new 'world-first', 12-month visa allows migrant workers to stay in Australia while they pursue unpaid wages or compensation for other forms of workplace exploitation.

Nearly one year into the Israel-Gaza war, how can the International Criminal Court move forward with its investigation into the conflict? 

Allegations of atrocity crimes cannot be prosecuted in Australian courts without consent from the Government's top legal officer, who also has the power to block prosecutions. 

Join playwright Suzie Miller (Prima Facie) for an insightful conversation about women working in the law. 

Playwright Suzie Miller (Prima Facie) explores a pilot program in New York that brings together survivors and perpetrators to address the impacts of harm from sexual assault. 

Playwright Suzie Miller (Prima Facie) speaks with those at the forefront of change in sexual assault law in Australia.

International prosecutions have focused concern on the 'hidden crime' of commercial trade in human organs. So, what is the best way to respond to organ trafficking and 'organ transplant tourism'? 

Prisoners are being released early in a bid to tackle overcrowding in Britain's jails. And, buying property with help from the 'bank of mum and dad' is becoming increasingly common, so what can go wrong if the loan terms aren't clearly spelt out? 

When calculating a sentence, a judge weighs up many considerations, including remorse. But is it really possible to determine if an offender is genuinely sorry? 

In a dispute over the medical treatment of a gravely sick child, who gets the ultimate say? Three recent court rulings in New South Wales deal with this profoundly difficult issue.

The case of the careless driver with diplomatic immunity who soured Britain's relationship with the US. And the former high commissioner in Canberra who was held accountable for exploiting a domestic worker.