Brandis argued that if unions had a problem with Heydon they should launch court action.
At a media conference on Friday, Abbott acknowledged that people had a right to launch court challenges but said Adani had already invested about $3bn in Australia in preparation for a $21bn investment if the project went ahead.
The president of the Australian Council of Trade Unions, Ged Kearney, said the peak union body was "having discussions with our our affiliates and our legal advisers" about whether it would launch court action.
British police also charged one of the men and a further unidentified 17-year-old from South London with hacking-related crimes - but said that their decision to launch court proceedings was "completely unrelated" to the actions taken in the US.
The MDC launched court challenges to block the recount as illegal and to contest 60 seats won by the ruling party.
The Alliance to Save Hinchinbrook, a Queensland conservation group, has launched court proceedings in Brisbane using funds donated from a GetUp campaign.
From 2008 onwards Miller launched court actions against the Mirror, the Daily Star, the News of the World and a specific paparazzo, Warren Richardson, who took secret photographs of her while she was naked on the set of a film.
Belgium's 79-year-old King Albert has announced that he would abdicate in favour of his son, Prince Philippe, in a surprise address to the nation that comes weeks after a woman claiming to be his daughter launched court proceedings to prove her paternity.
The company said that it had challenged Bosch over the issue before launching court proceedings, presenting evidence of the undercover mission, but decided to take legal action after Bosch refused to hand back its technology or issue undertakings not to use the ill-gotten machinery in its products.
As Mr Mandela lay in hospital, Makaziwe - along with Mr Mandela's wife Graca Machel and other relatives - successfully launched court action to have the children reburied in Qunu, seemingly thwarting the possibility of Mr Mandela being buried in Mvezo.
But rights groups have not given up, launching court action to declare Malawi's anti-gay laws unconstitutional and to secure the release of three men - Amon Champyuni, Mathews Bello and Mussa Chiwisi - imprisoned in 2011 for engaging in "unnatural acts".
