Law Report

Should we grant patents to Artificial Intelligence algorithms? Should machines have copyright over the art works they generate? What about animals?

The High Court has ruled that a decision by the former Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews to rescind the citizenship of an Australian man suspected of joining the Islamic State group was unconstitutional. And, for the first time, unpaid workers can pursue the director of a collapsed company in the small claims tribunal of the Federal Circuit and Family Court.

Why did actor Johnny Depp's defamation case against his former wife Amber Heard succeed in the US after failing at a similar trial in the UK? And a man ordered to face trial before a judge alone under the ACT’s pandemic emergency law says he was denied the right for his case to be heard by a jury. But does such a legal right exist in Australia?

Freesoul Real Estate has days to appeal a ground-breaking fine imposed by Fiji's High Court after the Chinese resort developer carried out unauthorised works on a remote island. And environmental law in the Pacific.

The world's only nationwide in-house prison network broadcasts 24 hours a day and is produced by and for inmates.

A High Court decision raises questions about how a de facto relationship is defined, and what happens when a person’s mental capacities decline with old age. And, if a person granted humanitarian protection by Australia commits a serious crime, can they be deported to a conflict zone?

The publication of a leaked draft opinion by conservative judge Samuel Alito has sparked fears the United States Supreme Court could overturn a landmark decision that enshrines abortion rights for women.

Does NATO’s increasing military support for Ukraine amount to waging “a proxy war against Russia”? And the High Court has overturned a number of sex offence convictions of a tutor due to juror misconduct.

When is an employer liable for psychiatric injury sustained in the workplace?

In the second of a two-part series, the Law Report speaks with members of the International Association of Women Judges in several countries. They explain the obstacles women judges face and what gender diversity brings to legal decision making.

In the first of a two-part series on women judges, the Law Report introduces judge Shakila Abawi Shigarf, who was forced to flee Afghanistan when the Taliban retook power in August 2021.

The national security trial of Australian journalist Cheng Lei in China. And two Victorian farmers have won a legal battle over noise pollution against a neighbouring wind farm.

The High Court has ruled that a lender engaged in 'unconscionable conduct' by approving an asset-based loan to an unemployed man. And a look at how the Northern Territory Custody Notification Service supports Indigenous people detained in watch houses.

A former war crimes judge and prosecutor explains the challenges of collecting evidence in a conflict zone. And the humanitarian crisis spreading beyond Ukraine's borders as Russian forces intensify their attacks.

Severe flooding in New South Wales and Queensland has created a range of tenancy and insurance issues for people in affected areas. And a view from inside the court where Northern Territory police officer Zachary Rolfe was acquitted of charges in the shooting death of Aboriginal man Kumanjayi Walker.

As the war in Ukraine escalates, what does international law say about humanitarian corridors, civilian combatants and prisoners of war? And why dozens of countries don't allow women the right to own and inherit land.

As the International Criminal Court announces plans to investigate possible war crimes in Ukraine, what help can the country expect from international law frameworks and rules-based systems? And a wide-ranging interview with the Chief Justice of the New South Wales Supreme Court, Tom Bathurst, who is retiring after more than a decade in office.

Could a US$73 million settlement for relatives of the 2012 Sandy Hook school massacre open the door for other lawsuits against US gun manufacturers? And who gets the furry babies when a couple divorces?

The High Court has delivered two judgments that help clarify the legal distinction between the status of a contract worker and a employee, with potential long-term implications across Australian workplaces. Also in the program, a neighbourhood dispute that grew 'out of all proportion' ends in the New South Wales Supreme Court.

The Australian Electoral Commission has revealed that 10 donors account for a quarter of donations made to the country's political parties in the 2020-21 financial year. According to the Commission, the source of one third of all political income remains undisclosed. What does the data reveal and what does it hide? And what does it say about the rules governing political donations?

When does inflating professional skills and experience cross a line to become a criminal offence?

The Federal Government's move to deport Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic from Australia has highlighted the scope of discretionary powers held by the immigration minister. And the Supreme Court of Victoria sets a legal precedent in what is believed to be the first ruling to find a Catholic diocese in Australia 'vicariously liable' for child sexual abuse committed by a priest decades ago.

According to a study which explores how the Torres Strait's unique culture, geography and colonial experience has shaped the current crime and justice landscape, property crime in the region is very low. And the innovative Licensing Muster Project is helping Indigenous people living at the top of Cape York obtain birth certificates which are required when applying for a drivers licence.

For the first time a journalist is allowed to record in the Thomas Embling Hospital, Melbourne's Forensic healthcare facility. Meet therapists, the psychiatrist in charge and some of the patients who have committed a serious crime but are deemed not responsible for their actions due to mental illness.