New Zealand’s Climate Change Response (Tort Liability) Amendment Act became law on 24 August 2026. The Act is the first national law to comprehensively rule out civil liability for activities that cause harm by contributing to climate change.
In this
Intentional torts: Conspiracy to injure by unlawful means.
ABC by her tutor DEF v Irmak and Dagdanasar; ABC by her tutor DEF v Irmak (No 2) [2026] NSWSC 1025 (Link to Caselaw).
The plaintiff was sexually assaulted after her year 12 school formal. The relevant defendant here…
Ten erroneous (some knuckleheaded) defense arguments in Hague Service matters.
Hey, look! A listicle! (Author’s note: this was originally just titled “Ten erroneous defense arguments…” but as I got deeper into the drafting, I realized that, while they’re all erroneous, several of them are downright stupid. There’s no diplomatic way…
Abuse settlement: Application to set aside agreement based on disability (intoxication).
Brigham (a pseudonym) v Trustees of the Christian Brothers [2026] VSC 522 (Link to JADE).
Brigham alleged abuse at a school and instructed lawyers to seek compensation. In July 2019 he instructed his solicitors to accept an offer, and…
Medical: Surrogacy parentage order when two children born of different parentage.
BNJ & Anor v DZ & Anor [2026] QChC 13 (Link to AUSTLII).
An unusual matter, where two children had been born in 2025 following a surrogacy arrangement, where one child was the biological child of the intended parents,…
Drugs and ‘doctor’s orders’ Victoria
Today’s
… question relates to the administration of drugs by Registered Paramedics (within ambulance and not within ambulance), in Victoria, and the inability for them to receive a Doctor’s Order to administer a medication.
There are three scenarios. The first, is…
New Zealand Legislates Away Climate Tort, Part I: Smith v Fonterra and the Global Backlash Against Climate Litigation
This is the second of three consecutive posts on corporate climate accountability. Yesterday’s post examined the Paris Judicial Court’s June 2026 ruling in Notre Affaire à Tous et al. v. TotalEnergies SE.
On August 18, 2026, New Zealand’s Parliament…
Student paramedic as team first aider
Today’s correspondent, from Victoria, has:
… a question in regards to liability and insurance and other related matters that I may be unaware of, in regards to providing first aid in a sporting/ event context in Victoria.
As a student paramedic…
Biggest Mistakes People Make During Divorce:Divorce Mistakes to Avoid in 2026
Most people going through a divorce aren’t careless. They’re overwhelmed, emotional, and trying to make dozens of decisions at once during one of the most challenging periods of their life.
That’s exactly why well meaning mistakes happen so often. A…
Surrogacy in South Africa: what Australians should know
South Africa might seem like an obvious overseas surrogacy destination for Australians. It has high-quality IVF services, costs can be lower than in some other international destinations, and Australia has a substantial South African community, particularly in Perth, Sydney, Melbourne…