Judge Delays Decision on Lisa Wilkinson’s Legal Bill Dispute
Lisa Wilkinson’s legal bill case against Network 10 faces delays as a judge pushes for resolution before Christmas
Lisa Wilkinson, Network 10, Bruce Lehrmann, Legal Fees, Defamation, Australia
Canberra: So, Lisa Wilkinson is in a bit of a wait-and-see situation. She’s got this hefty $1.8 million legal bill hanging over her head, and now she has to wait until next year to find out how much Network 10 will actually pay. A judge just cleared her of defaming Bruce Lehrmann, but the whole thing is still a mess.
Justice Michael Lee tossed out Lehrmann’s lawsuit earlier this year, saying he believed he had raped Brittany Higgins back in 2019. But Lehrmann isn’t giving up; he’s appealing the decision.
He sued both Network 10 and Lisa after she interviewed Higgins on The Project, where she talked about the alleged rape. After losing, Lehrmann was hit with a $2 million bill for his failed suit, but the judge noted he probably won’t be able to pay it.
Now, Lisa is trying to get her $1.8 million from Network 10 since she had to hire her own legal team. There’s a referee involved to figure out what costs are covered, but both sides are still stuck on some “principle” issues, which is why they can’t agree on a final amount.
Lisa’s lawyer, Michael Elliott, pointed out several sticking points, like the rates for the work done. He even asked for a supplementary report to clarify what’s considered “reasonable” costs. Justice Lee wasn’t too happy about the delay, saying he wanted this wrapped up before Christmas.
He made it clear he didn’t want to drag this out any longer. In the end, they agreed to revisit the matter in February, but it sounds like there’s still a lot to sort out. Justice Lee is also going on leave for Christmas, so it’s a bit of a waiting game for everyone involved.
There are at least nine points of contention between the parties, including how much Lisa’s lawyer should be paid for work done after May 2023. Network 10 had previously offered $558,000 for her legal fees, but that’s still a long way from what she’s asking.
As for Lehrmann, he’s set to return to court in August 2025 to appeal the judge’s finding. It’s a high-profile case that’s not going away anytime soon.