Brittany Higgins has decided to withdraw her appeals related to the loss of her defamation case against her former employer, ex-Liberal senator Linda Reynolds.

The legal dispute began when Reynolds initiated a lawsuit against Higgins, alleging that Higgins’ social media posts had harmed her reputation during her tenure as the former defence minister.

A court official has confirmed that discontinuance notices for both appeals were officially filed on Monday.

This development follows Reynolds’ recent move to initiate bankruptcy proceedings against Higgins in an effort to recover the legal costs awarded to her as a result of the defamation case.

Reynolds has lodged a creditor’s petition with the Federal Court, asserting that Higgins did not comply with a previously issued bankruptcy notice.

In addition, Reynolds has also initiated bankruptcy proceedings against Higgins’ husband, David Sharaz.

He was also found to have defamed the former politician and was ordered to pay $85,000 in damages plus interest and costs. 

Higgins previously apologised to Reynolds after the former defence minister emerged victorious from the duo’s high-profile five-week defamation trial, which ended in September 2024.

Justice Tottle found Higgins’ social media posts carried an array of imputations.

They included Reynolds engaged in a campaign of harassment against Higgins, mishandled her rape allegation and engaged in questionable conduct during Bruce Lehrmann’s aborted criminal trial for rape.

The 360-page judgment made factual findings about the events involving Reynolds and Higgins, including her alleged 2019 rape and the events in the years after it.

Higgins made 26 false or misleading statements in media interviews after her alleged sexual assault, it said.

She alleges former co-worker Lehrmann raped her in the senator’s ministerial suite.

A Federal Court judge overseeing a defamation case launched by Lehrmann against Network Ten found Higgins was, on the balance of probabilities, raped by her former co-worker in the office.

Lehrmann is appealing that finding.

He has always denied the rape allegation and his criminal trial was derailed by juror misconduct.

Support is available by calling 1800 RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service on 1800 211 028.