Lehrmann set to appeal judgement in defamation case

Lawyers for Bruce Lehrmann have indicated he will appeal the judgment in his defamation case against Network Ten and Lisa Wilkinson.

Transcript

00:00Bruce Lerman's lawyers have, in the Federal Court, confirmed what many people were wondering

00:07that an appeal is under consideration.

00:10There's been a costs hearing in the Federal Court here in Sydney this afternoon and Mr

00:14Lerman's lawyers have gotten up at the end of the hearing and asked for more time to

00:19the 27th of May to consider making that appeal, saying that new senior counsel had been briefed

00:25to consider the prospects of such an appeal.

00:29During this costs hearing, Justice Lee has gone through several things that he is considering

00:35in his decision and he's asked the parties to put forward their case.

00:39He started with a dressing down of Channel 10's lawyer, Justin Quill.

00:45He made comments outside the court following the judgement that was made earlier, which

00:50Justice Lee has deemed disparaging.

00:53He said that Justin Quill effectively was saying that Channel 10 had been vindicated

00:59in all aspects of their conduct and that it was a quite misleading pricey of the case.

01:06Matt Collins for Channel 10 got up in court this afternoon in response, in defence of

01:11Justin Quill.

01:12He said that those comments were made immediately in the aftermath of the summary of the judgement

01:19and that those statements shouldn't have a bearing on how Justice Lee decides those costs.

01:25There was also the question of Lisa Wilkinson's costs.

01:29She had separate lawyers to Channel 10 and it was decided that that matter would be referred

01:35to a third party referee.

01:37That referee will also need to make a judgement on whether Taylor Auback, the Channel 7 producer

01:44who was asked at the last minute to come into this case and give evidence, whether he should

01:49be paid any costs.

01:51Justice Lee told the court that he thought it was unusual that Mr Auback had asked for

01:56$17,500 for what he said was just answering a subpoena.

02:02Justice Lee reserved his decision so he has heard everything that was said to him this

02:07afternoon by various lawyers and he says he'll go away and consider that and hopefully take

02:12not too much time and come and present his decision again in front of an open court soon.