Law Report

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.

Two English judges have resigned from Hong Kong's Court of Final Appeal. Should four Australian judges stay or go?The Australian Law Reform Commission has made a set of recommendations on how anti-discrimination laws should operate in religious schools.

New research examines the impact of heavy workloads on the well-being of judicial officers and the quality of justice delivered.

Traditional owners have welcomed an announcement by Parks Australia that it would plead guilty to damaging a sacred site at Gunlom Falls in Kakadu National park. The move follows a landmark High Court decision which found that statutory bodies can be held criminally liable for damaging cultural sites.

Bad fences make bad neighbours! The Law Report explores your rights and responsibilities when it comes to fences and boundaries.

What are Donald Trump's legal options after the former US president was found guilty of falsifying business records in the 'hush money' trial?

From abandoned cars to electric vehicle charging, the Law Report shifts gears on your rights and responsibilities when it comes to cars in strata blocks.

In a legal first, a Queensland tribunal finds the social media platform formerly known as Twitter can be held liable for hate speech published on the site. Can a victim of road rage claim workers compensation? And the Law Report drives around the frustrations of cars in apartment blocks.

Do you ever feel like you're being watched? The Law Report zooms in on curious neighbours and talks to experts about your rights and responsibilities when it comes to residential surveillance cameras.

Britain's High Court has ruled that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange can bring a new appeal against extradition to the US on espionage charges. Also in the program, a legal decision that could be a game changer for hundreds of Australians who developed lung cancer after being exposed to asbestos.

The Law Report follows the flow of cases that create waves between neighbours and talks to experts about your rights and responsibilities when it comes to water.

Former military lawyer David McBride has been sentenced to five years and eight months in prison for leaking classified documents that exposed allegations of Australian war crimes in Afghanistan.

Everybody needs good neighbours, but what do you do if yours are big stinkers? In the first of our six-part series, The Law Report sniffs out the neighbourhood smells that have landed in court, so you know where you stand with the law and the pong next door.

Should an employer be able to restrict your future work options?When you are fighting with your neighbour over things like fences, cameras or cars, whose side is the law on?

Justice Joe Willams, the first Māori member of NZ's Supreme Court, speaks to Damien Carrick about how courts in his country are adopting First Nations concepts in the common law.

Donald Trump's high profile criminal trial gets underway in New York. And meet the tough former prosecutor who became responsible for monitoring the reintegration of Victoria's most dangerous criminals.

In a high-profile defamation case, justice Michael Lee found that former political staffer Bruce Lehrmann, on the balance of probabilities, raped his then colleague Brittany Higgins inside Parliament House in 2019.

If someone is charged with a violent crime like murder or assault, what defences can they argue? That depends on what part of Australia you live in.The Queensland Law Reform Commission is conducting a review of the criminal defences which operate in that state – some of them very controversial. Warning: this episode contains descriptions of violence, including murder, assault and domestic violence.

Next month, the Supreme Court of New South Wales marks its 200th birthday. A new book, Constant Guardian: Changing Times, tells the history of the court. In his first extensive interview since his appointment in 2022, NSW Chief Justice Andrew Bell tells Damien Carrick about some of the significant trials discussed in the book.

The Law Report makes the law accessible.

Dividing up intellectual property rights in a divorce settlement. And the case of a mining equipment company that legally can't stop competitors from copying its invention.

The global campaign to end the misuse of non-disclosure agreements. And record damages awarded in a sexual harassment case make it clear courts won't tolerate employers who intimidate complainants.

How are non-disclosure agreements used in the settlement of sexual harassment claims? Damien Carrick speaks to the co-authors of a new study, "Let's talk about confidentiality".

Do we have healthy industry competition in Australia? Do we have the right regulatory framework? Damien Carrick speaks to the chairwoman of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, Gina Cass-Gottlieb.

Lawyers for Julian Assange will appear in Britain's High Court this week in what could be the final attempt to stop the WikiLeaks founder from being extradited to the United States, where he faces espionage charges.

Should a parent be held legally responsible for the crimes of their child? And Australian writer and academic Yang Hengjun is given a suspended death sentence in China after being found guilty of espionage.

After 40 years in jail — a new attempt to secure parole for the man said to be Australia's longest-serving Indigenous prisoner. Warning: this episode mentions Indigenous people who have died.

The Law Report makes the law accessible.

The International Court of Justice has held the first public hearings in South Africa's genocide case against Israel. And there's concern over the New Zealand government plan to wind back the principles of the country's founding document, the Treaty of Waitangi.

'Facial recognition for cows', GPS animal tags and DNA testing represent some of the technology being developed to help investigate and solve livestock theft and other farm-related crimes. This episode first aired in February 2023.

Lawyers in the Northern Territory say the shortage of Indigenous interpreters has become so critical that it's significantly contributing to the over-representation of First Nations people in the criminal justice system. This is the first in a two-part special investigation into the impact of interpreter shortages in Australian courts. This episode first aired in July 2023.

Think twice before you fire off that lighthearted emoji – there could be serious legal consequences. This episode first aired in August 2023.

One year has passed since the Federal Court confirmed native title over more than 40,000 square kilometres of sea country in the Torres Strait region. For the first time the claim brought together Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians to achieve joint native title outcomes. Traditional singing provided crucial evidence in the proceedings. Damien Carrick travelled to Waibene, or Thursday Island, to attend the outdoor sitting and to speak with Traditional Owners. This episode first aired in December 2022.

We've all heard of 'sovereign citizens', a term referring to people who don't believe the law applies to them. But how much do we know about this group and its impact on the courts? This episode first aired in May 2023.

After a long Covid hiatus the office Christmas party is back with a vengeance. We all want to enjoy ourselves, but also have to be mindful of the risks.

The outgoing Independent National Security Legislation Monitor's final report recommends an overhaul of legislation that Grant Donaldson says can be 'unnecessary and oppressive'.

Hungry Jacks has won a legal fight against McDonalds over the use of its Big Jack and Mega Jack trademarks. And a court in Italy has handed prison sentences to more than 200 people over their links to the ‘Ndrangheta crime group.

If a juror does their own research in a trial, does that mean that any guilty verdict reached by the jury is dangerous and should be quashed? And a look at when violence in sport crosses the line and becomes a criminal law matter.

In an historic decision, the High Court has ruled that indefinite immigration detention is unlawful. And could convicted terrorist Abdul Nacer Benbrika be released following a successful appeal against a conviction that saw him stripped of Australian citizenship.

When should the identity of an accused facing sexual assault charges be named in the media? And how closely can your employer monitor you?

What are the unique challenges facing justice systems in the Pacific region?

In a wide-ranging interview, the outgoing High Court Chief Justice Susan Kiefel speaks to Damien Carrick about her unlikely journey to the top judicial job, women in the law, and her support for joint judgments.

What can Australia learn from the outcome of the Voice referendum? And Queensland's government has introduced legislation to make coercive control a standalone criminal offence.

In the lead-up to the referendum vote, the Law Report discusses the constitutional implications of the proposal for an Indigenous Voice to parliament. Also in the program, could pill testing of illicit drugs save lives?

What recommendations does the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability make in its final report to the federal government? And, in a legal first, a South Australian woman has been sent to jail for impersonating a registered health practitioner.

For the first time in Australia, a patient who chose to undergo voluntary assisted dying has donated their organs for transplant. So, how did the strict legal and regulatory frameworks governing the processes in Victoria interact in this case?

The Law Report makes the law accessible.

A Voice to parliament could see Indigenous knowledge and holistic approaches used to help close the gap. We hear from Indigenous leaders with different views.