Just Cases

Just Cases

Monash Law

The biggest court cases you've never heard of. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Introducing CASE IN POINT: Grave robbers! AI law enforcement!

Introducing CASE IN POINT: Grave robbers! AI law enforcement!

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 CASE IN

Oct 17, 2024 • 1:44

Episode 20: Could "billions of dollars" of government spending be unconstitutional?

Episode 20: Could "billions of dollars" of government spending be unconstitutional?

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 Commonwealth of Austra

Dec 14, 2020 • 23:15

Episode 19: Guinness World Record for... Death row

Episode 19: Guinness World Record for... Death row

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 13, 2020 • 22:12

Episode 18: A country divided

Episode 18: A country divided

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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 30, 2020 • 24:23

New episodes!

New episodes!

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 30, 2020 • 0:56

Episode 17: Do witchcraft laws breach freedom of religion?

Episode 17: Do witchcraft laws breach freedom of religion?

How does Australian law protect the beliefs and religious practices of witches, conjurers and fortune-tellers? A High Court case from the 1930s could provide the answers. There’s a big debate about religious freedom in Australia after the federal government announced plans to introduce new federal religious discrimination laws. Most of the coverage of the religious freedom debate focuses on protecting the major religions, most notably Christianity.  But there’s some religious groups that don’t g

Sep 17, 2019 • 32:24

Episode 16: Hard cases make bad law

Episode 16: Hard cases make bad law

“There’s a saying in law that hard cases make bad law,” says Dr Colin Campbell. “Judges will sometimes do what they think is right in a particular case, but in doing that they will muck up the law." Numerous inquiries have uncovered widespread discrimination and exclusion against children at government schools around Australia. While state-run education departments are tasked with the responsibility of fixing this problem, there’s another institution in our society that has a major role to

Aug 22, 2019 • 33:24

BACK CATALOGUE: "They Don't Teach You This At Law School."

BACK CATALOGUE: "They Don't Teach You This At Law School."

This is the most-downloaded episode of JUST CASES and one of the most controversial. June 1996. Late at night, two young men cross paths on a Sydney street. When the sun rises the following morning, one of them will be found dead. The events of that evening are murky, but the resulting court case sent shockwaves through the community - and we still feel its effects today. Melissa & James: "While we're working on a brand new episode for you, we want to share one from the JUST CASES

Aug 6, 2019 • 27:50

Episode 15: Rolls-Royce's worldwide network of corruption

Episode 15: Rolls-Royce's worldwide network of corruption

Earlier this year the UK's Serious Fraud Office (SFO) announced it had shut down a long-running investigation into corruption at Rolls-Royce. What did the UK authorities have to trade in exchange for Rolls-Royce’s money and cooperation? Between 1999 to 2013, the SFO and a joint BBC/The Guardian investigation revealed that Rolls-Royce - which manufactures aircraft engines and defence systems, as well as their famed luxury cars - engaged in systemic criminal activity on a global scale. In 201

Jul 24, 2019 • 32:30

Rolls-Royce's "sophisticated criminal enterprise" (COMING SOON)

Rolls-Royce's "sophisticated criminal enterprise" (COMING SOON)

The name Rolls-Royce is synonymous with luxury. But in recent years, whistleblowers have revealed the prestige brand has been exporting corruption worldwide. How does the criminal justice system respond? (RELEASE DATE: Wednesday 24 July 2019)LEARN MORE www.justcasespodcast.com/episode/episode-15-rolls-royces-worldwide-network-of-corruptionMUSICLee Rosevere - 'Snakes' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 22, 2019 • 0:22

Episode 14: "Now free speech has been killed as well"

Episode 14: "Now free speech has been killed as well"

How does the law balance the rights of women to access safe and legal abortions with the right to free speech and protest? For over twenty years anti-abortion protesters have picketed abortion clinics around Australia. To combat this targeted harassment of women seeking safe and legal abortions, state governments have passed ‘safe access zone’ laws which create an exclusion zone around abortion clinics which protestors cannot enter. Anti-abortionists argue these laws limit their free speech. Sup

Jul 12, 2019 • 28:36

Episode 13: Why is our secular government allowed to fund religious schools?

Episode 13: Why is our secular government allowed to fund religious schools?

A fight over a new toilet block at a Catholic school in 1962 turns into a major constitutional and ideological war, the effects of which last until today.  Australians traditionally sees themselves as pretty secular compared to the rest of the world. But how Australians choose to fund their children’s education paints a very different picture. For every dollar the Federal Government spends per student in a private or independent school, public schools receive only around 75 cents per student. In

Jun 25, 2019 • 33:00

Episode 12: Can a child decide to have gender-reassignment surgery?

Episode 12: Can a child decide to have gender-reassignment surgery?

Issues affecting transgender people are much more prominent in the public consciousness than they’ve ever been. This episode of JUST CASES explores one important legal issue: can children access hormone therapy or surgery in Australia? We speak to the judge who decided this important case and learn what it’s like to make such life-changing decisions. WARNING: This episode contains some difficult subject matter. There’s mentions of suicide, gender-identity issues, family violence and graphic cont

Jun 12, 2019 • 28:47

Episode 11: "He knows how to operate in the shadows"

Episode 11: "He knows how to operate in the shadows"

The corruption case against former South African president Jacob Zuma has begun. Zuma’s case lifts the lid on the influence of weapons companies on governments worldwide. “It’s not a story of a corrupt guy, Jacob Zuma,” says Hennie van Vuuren, the director of Open Secrets, a South African organisation that investigates economic crimes and abuses of power. “[Instead] it’s a story of a network of players around the globe - in corporations, arms companies, intelligence agencies - who have been work

May 29, 2019 • 35:13

Episode 11 Trailer

Episode 11 Trailer

The corruption trial of former President of South Africa, Jacob Zuma, exposes the influence of weapons companies on governments worldwide. (UPCOMING EPISODE)Music: 'Alum Drum Solo' by Blue Dot Sessions Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 28, 2019 • 0:49

Just Cases: Season 3 coming soon

Just Cases: Season 3 coming soon

JUST CASES is back for another season. This season we’re looking ahead to some major court cases you need to know about, which will have an impact on our lives in the future. Can you create a valid will using emojis? Is the game over for the big end of town? Can the banks and financial sector finally be hit with some hardcore criminal law? In the age of political fracturing worldwide, how far does your right to protest extend? New episodes landing in your podcast app very soon.Music: 'Bosto

May 10, 2019 • 0:59

Episode 10: Bombing of the Rainbow Warrior

Episode 10: Bombing of the Rainbow Warrior

It's just before midnight on 10 July 1985. The Port of Auckland, New Zealand. The Rainbow Warrior, a Greenpeace anti-nuclear protest ship, is sitting at its dock when two massive explosions tear through its hull. A man is killed onboard. What follows is one of the most bizarre and sinister of diplomatic incidents. The hunt for his killers uncovers an international network of spies, and exposes a highly-coordinated attack planned from the highest echelons of world power. Music in this episod

Nov 23, 2018 • 36:02

Episode 9: Treachery and Treason

Episode 9: Treachery and Treason

A series of factory fires in Sydney in 1916 leads to a full-blown treason trial. The case of the ‘IWW Twelve’ sees a dozen local members of a radical worldwide movement caught in a perfect political storm.Storyteller: Dr Stephen Gray, Monash Law SchoolHosts: Dr Melissa Castan & James PattisonFurther reading:- ‘Death Cults, Murdering a Police Officer, and the First World War' by Dr Stephen Gray (Alternative Law Journal) - 'Enemy Within? The Wobblies' by Nerida Campbell (Sydney

Nov 2, 2018 • 34:51

Episode 8: Death at Sea

Episode 8: Death at Sea

It’s the night of 2 August 1926. Five nautical miles off the coast of Lesbos. A French ship, the SS Lotus, is cruising towards its destination of Constantinople. The ship’s first officer is keeping watch, but he doesn’t know that there’s a Turkish ship dead ahead. What lies ahead is not only a naval disaster, but a diplomatic dispute that throws a massive colonial power on a collision course with a young nation on the rise.Music: - ‘This tuning is so dramatic’ by Monplaisir- ‘35’C’ by King Imagi

Oct 19, 2018 • 22:40

Episode 7: Why the world's wealthiest baby shouldn't be a company director

Episode 7: Why the world's wealthiest baby shouldn't be a company director

In 1886 a sensational banking scandal hit the headlines in Great Britain. It involved the world's richest man, John Patrick Crichton-Stuart, the 3rd Marquess of Bute, and it led to an absurd decision. More than a century later, the current Banking Royal Commission in Australia continues to expose stories of banks behaving badly. But it remains rare for the people at the helm of banks and other major corporations - the company directors - to be held legally responsible for what goes on at th

Sep 5, 2018 • 22:56

Episode 6: Is S+M sex illegal?

Episode 6: Is S+M sex illegal?

If you engage in consensual sadomasochistic sex could you actually be found guilty of assault? The case of R v Brown is one of the most hotly debated decisions in legal history. WARNING: This episode contains descriptions of acts of a sexual nature, a violent nature, and a mention of suicide. Listener discretion is advised. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 24, 2018 • 29:06

Episode 5: Assault on the sports field

Episode 5: Assault on the sports field

Can you be charged with assault for punching an opponent on the sports field? A violent on-field incident in the Australian Football League (AFL) has led to calls for police to bring criminal charges against one of the league's best players. West Coast player Andrew Gaff has been suspended for eight matches for punching 18-year-old Fremantle player Andrew Brayshaw behind play. Brayshaw has undergone surgery on a broken jaw and will require further treatment for three broken teeth. The teena

Aug 10, 2018 • 23:35

Welcome to Season 2 of Just Cases

Welcome to Season 2 of Just Cases

Just Cases is back! Delivered every fortnight, Season 2 explores some of the weirdest court cases the experts are able to dig up, all for your listening pleasure. Can athletes be charged with assault for something that happens on-field? Can a baby be the director of a company? Can some consensual sex acts be criminal? If you’re into S&M can you be prosecuted?Music:'Waxing waning' by Ketsa Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 9, 2018 • 0:59

BONUS EPISODE: How can safe injecting rooms be legal?

BONUS EPISODE: How can safe injecting rooms be legal?

The Victorian State Government has announced it will set up a safe injecting room, located in the inner Melbourne suburb of Richmond. It's a first for the state, and only the second in Australia. A safe injecting room in Sydney's Kings Cross was established in 2001. The announcement comes in response to a growing heroin problem in Victoria. The number of Victorians dying from overdoses has doubled in the last five years, and in the Richmond area alone 34 people died from heroin overdos

Oct 31, 2017 • 9:49

Episode 4: They don't teach you this at law school

Episode 4: They don't teach you this at law school

June 1996. Late at night, two young men cross paths on a Sydney street. When the sun rises the following morning, one of them will be found dead. The events of that evening are murky, but the resulting court case is unprecedented - and we still feel its effects. Music in this episode:- 'Made Men' by Audiobinger (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license)- 'You Cant Love Me' by Audiobinger (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 30, 2017 • 26:53

Episode 3: How you can be detained for life without trial

Episode 3: How you can be detained for life without trial

The story of Ahmed Al-Kateb has far-reaching consequences for individual liberty. Mr Al-Kateb wanted to go home to Palestine, but the High Court decided he could be held indefinitely in Australia despite committing no crime. One constitutional law expert describes this "shocking case" as one which "shows us how even very clever judges sitting on the High Court can sometimes make terrible mistakes". Music in this episode:- 'China Town' by Audiobinger (CC BY-NC 4.0 li

Sep 25, 2017 • 30:19

Episode 2: Help! I crashed my Uber

Episode 2: Help! I crashed my Uber

In the gig economy our cars, spare rooms and spare time have become handy money-earners. But sometimes things don't go as planned. If you're an Uber driver or Deliveroo cyclist and you injure someone else on the job, who has to cough up the money?Music in this episode: - 'A Lil Somethin' Somethin'' by The Good Lawdz (CC BY-SA 3.0 license)- 'Beach Aldente' by KieLoBot (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sep 11, 2017 • 18:10

BONUS EPISODE: Chief Justice, is the same-sex marriage postal vote doomed?

BONUS EPISODE: Chief Justice, is the same-sex marriage postal vote doomed?

What's the High Court challenge to the marriage equality postal vote all about? In this bonus episode Robert French, former Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia, drops by to explore two very similar cases he decided that provide the basis for the current legal challenge. Music: 'Has Pluck' by Podington Bear (CC BY-NC 3.0 license) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sep 1, 2017 • 17:07

Episode 1: A dagger at the heart of society

Episode 1: A dagger at the heart of society

In the middle of WW1, the Australian government launches a stinging attack on an international 'extremist' network of German sympathisers. When a policeman is murdered in a small country town, the stage is set for a showdown between his killers and a political system with everything to lose. Music in this episode: - 'Felt Lining' by Blue Dot Sessions (CC BY-NC 4.0 license)- 'Attempt 1' by Jared C. Balogh (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 license)- 'Tracers' by Podington Be

Aug 29, 2017 • 34:10

Welcome to Just Cases

Welcome to Just Cases

This new podcast from Monash Law School takes you behind the judgments and tells the backstory to some of the biggest legal cases that impact on our daily lives. (MUSIC: 'Albatross v2' by Computer Music All-Stars / CC BY 4.0 license) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 28, 2017 • 1:24

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