It is a good step that the Federal Court now releases a media summary along with its Grounds of Judgment. I recall reading the Chief Justice stating that the Judiciary would now take that step so it is good that we now follow suit with other countries like Singapore and the UK.

Federal Court appeals should after all only deal with novel questions of law and questions of public importance so the media summary would help to educate the public at large on the significance of the decision.

However, the first Federal Court decision that comes with its Media Summary deals with a rather procedural and technical area of the law. The question being whether a failed attempt at setting aside the service of court papers out of jurisdiction (under Order 11 of the Rules of the High Court 1980) would then still allow for a successful striking out of the action (under Order 18 Rule 19 of the Rules of the High Court 1980). Not exactly the decision to digest and not with the widest application.

But this step of releasing a media summary is something to be applauded.