Just Cases

Introducing CASE IN POINT, a new podcast from the hosts of JUST CASES: Melissa Castan (Professor of Law at Monash University) and James Pattison (the guy who's not a Professor of Law at Monash University).CASE IN POINT tells the stories behind some of the most amazing court cases you need to know about. Grave robbers, AI law enforcement, international diplomatic beefs! Aaaaah!Each episode a special guest picks a weird and wonderful court case with an epic backstory.Follow / subscribe to ...

Outrage over a federal government decision to put religious chaplains in government schools made headlines at the time for being a fight over the separation of church and state. But the real High Court case was about much more - and it has the potential to upend the way the entire federal government functions.Court cases: - Williams v Commonwealth of Australia [2012] HCA 23 (20 June 2012) http://www6.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/cases/cth/HCA/2012/23.html - Williams v Commonwea...

1968 seems a lifetime ago. It was a defining year of the 20th century. 1968 is also the year that a Japanese professional boxer was sentenced to death for murder. Remarkably, he remains on death row to this day. The case of Iwao Hakamada has exposed questionable police practices, a forced confession and a bombshell claim from one of the judges who sentenced him.

A newly-elected Australian government is concerned about a growing Communist influence in Australia. The scene is set for a major High Court case. Court case: Australian Communist Party v Commonwealth ("Communist Party case") [1951] HCA 5; (1951) 83 CLR 1 (9 March 1951)Read judgment: http://www8.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/cases/cth/HCA/1951/5.html

What is the rule of law? What is executive power? How do we hold power to account? Are our legal institutions and protections still relevant these days? The pandemic has upended a lot of things we take for granted. Is it time we rethink how our society organises itself?We’re bringing you some of the best court cases that have shaped society - and that could provide a way forward for the future.