This defamation suit followed a criminal case against Lehrmann in 2022, which was abandoned due to juror misconduct, leaving no conclusions about his guilt.

In April 2024, Justice Lee ruled that Lehrmann had not been defamed, leading to his appeal in the Full Court of the Federal Court, scheduled for later in 2025.

The defamation trial involving journalist Lisa Wilkinson and Bruce Lehrmann centered around a February 2021 report on The Project, where Brittany Higgins accused Lehrmann of sexual assault in Parliament House.

Justice Michael Lee dismissed Lehrmann's lawsuit against Channel 10 and Wilkinson, concluding it was more likely than not that he raped Brittany Higgins in March 2019.

Channel 10 reported spending a total of $3.7 million defending against Lehrmann's lawsuit, which prompted discussions about Wilkinson's compensation.

Channel 10 has agreed to pay Lisa Wilkinson a total of $1.15 million to cover her legal costs related to the defamation trial, which includes an additional $590,000 payment.

Wilkinson initially sought $1.8 million in legal expenses but ultimately settled for a lower amount due to disputes over reasonable costs.

Lehrmann's appeal is pending, with a hearing date in the full federal court yet to be determined.

Following the trial's conclusion, Lehrmann was ordered to pay $2 million in legal costs to Channel 10.

Her legal fees became contentious as she hired prominent barrister Sue Chrysanthou SC to represent her separately during the trial.

The Federal Court has mandated that Channel 10 pay the additional $590,000 by March 19, 2025, as determined by Justice Lee.

Wilkinson and Channel 10 are scheduled to appear before Justice Lee on March 11, 2025, to discuss expenses related to hiring a costs referee.