Latest fromLitigation

Pink Batts win High Court scrap
One of Pink Batts' competitors has failed to convince the High Court the term "batts" is in common use in NZ and that Pink Batts' trademark of this word should be revoked.

Cadbury melts over trademark
A decision from the High Court at Wellington last month found in favour of Whittaker's, dismissing a bid by Cadbury to stop it from registering the trademark "Berry Forest".

Hotchin house in driveway dispute
A Waiheke Island property owner has gone to the High Court over access to land owned by a trust linked to former Hanover Finance director Mark Hotchin.

Legal highs banned tonight
A retailer who has been selling synthetic cannabis for several years says he's a regular user, and will smoke it illegally when it is banned from midnight tonight.

Warning as legal highs become illegal
The Govt is warning of heavy penalties for selling, making or possessing synthetic drugs after midnight tonight, when all remaining products will be stripped from shelves.

NZ takes first steps to ban match-fixing
Match-fixing will become a crime in NZ, with the government saying we're "not immune to the international risks" it poses.

FMA keeps powder dry on civil claims
The Financial Markets Authority won't wait until receivers have finished chasing funds from convicted finance company directors. when considering civil cases.

Date set for Fonterra's bid to suspend lawsuit
Dairy giant Fonterra's attempt to suspend the legal action it is facing from French food company Danone over last year's botulism scare is due to be heard in the High Court in June.

Wendy's drive through court fight
Wendy's has gone to the High Court at Auckland after a development of a rival fast-food restaurant blocked an exit from one of the burger chain's Auckland stores.

'Transparent iPhones' patent
You are walking down a busy street, eyes down on a text message exchange, when bang - you collide phone - first with a tree, a lamppost or a fellow pedestrian.

Kiwibank class action deadline looms
Kiwibank customers have until tonight to sign up to class-action style litigation over allegedly "unfair penalty" fees.

Judge blasts ludicrous divorce cases
A High Court judge has launched an extraordinary attack on out of control foreign divorce cases being fought in England by wealthy couples who are squeezing out needy litigants.

Lawyer aims to stretch bank fee claims
A lawyer taking action against the big banks over penalty fees says he will now try to stretch the claims back decades rather than work with the six-year statutory limit.

Kiwibank 'won't pick on' suing customers
Kiwibank has given an assurance it won't discriminate against customers who take part in a class-action lawsuit over allegedly "unfair" penalty fees.

Lombard case dropped after $10m deal
The FMA has dropped civil proceedings against four Lombard directors as the failed finance company's receivers have reached a $10 million settlement with the men, their insurers and an unnamed "third party".

Hotchin, Watson company chase loan
A finance company's attempt to chase down a $300,000 loan taken out by a now-bankrupt and struck-off lawyer has been knocked back by a High Court judge

Geneva chases founder for unpaid loan
A finance company is chasing its founder for a debt which the man's lawyer says would bankrupt him.

More banks targeted in fees lawsuit
Westpac, BNZ and ASB have been named as the latest banks to face legal action by a group claiming the banks charged unfair penalty fees.

FMA talks Hanover settlement
A High Court insurance stoush has been parked to enable the Financial Markets Authority to enter into settlement talks with Hanover directors and promoters.

US business groups 'deeply disturbed' by NZ packaging plans
A group of six American business groups say they are "deeply disturbed" at the New Zealand Government's plans to introduce plain cigarette packets.

Council windscreen washer wipeout
'We have to get police to take their buckets.' Auckland Council wants more power to ban and penalise windscreen washers at intersections.

39,000 join bank fees lawsuit
Almost 39,000 people have now signed up to take part in legal action against alleged unfair penalty fees charged by New Zealand banks.