In the past people wanting to sue newspapers or the electronic media often did so in the ACT where the law is often better for plaintiffs and more difficult for publishers. Also, some plaintiffs do not like juries, so they sue in the ACT where there are none in the civil cases. For example, sports and pop stars like juries; politicians, lawyers and real-estate agents are less likely to do so. Technical cases are often brought to the ACT as well.
It is called forum shopping. It means the ACT court list gets clogged with out-of-town cases, delaying ACT trials.
As a result of a judgment brought down in the Federal Court last week, this will be more difficult.
Anthony John Earl Grey sued David Syme and Co, publisher of The Age, Melbourne, over the publication of a cartoon. The court ruled that under Commonwealth and ACT law the plaintiff was restricted, in this case, to suing over publication in the ACT alone, and not in the whole of Australia.
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