The Court dismissed a disqualification application, holding that a judge who made adverse findings about witnesses and factual issues in prior related proceedings was not disqualified from giving directions in the Corporations Directions List, where the court operates a non-docket system and the judge was not allocated to hear the substantive trial. The Court held it was premature and hypothetical to determine disqualification from a trial hearing not yet allocated, but left open the possibility of the application being renewed if circumstances changed. Separately, the Court ordered Points of Defence to be filed by 15 April 2026, rejecting submissions that directions should be deferred pending a stay application that the defendants chose not to press, and emphasising that the Court is not bound to accept unchallenged affidavit evidence and will apply its own experience in assessing time estimates for procedural steps.
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