Senator Linda Reynolds has initiated a defamation lawsuit against her former staffer, Brittany Higgins, stemming from social media posts that Reynolds claims have damaged her reputation.

The case centers on three social media posts made by Higgins in 2022 and 2023, which followed a $2.4 million compensation payout she received for her rape allegation against Bruce Lehrmann.

Higgins accused Lehrmann of raping her in Reynolds' office in 2019, which led to a highly publicized trial in 2022 that was aborted due to juror misconduct.

Higgins' posts criticized Reynolds' handling of her rape allegation, suggesting misconduct and inadequate support, which Reynolds argues harmed her reputation.

Higgins' lawyer, Rachael Young, contended that Reynolds should have suspected sexual assault when they met shortly after the alleged incident.

Young also claimed that Reynolds failed to provide adequate support to Higgins, suggesting she seek help elsewhere rather than addressing the issue directly.

Evidence presented in court indicated that Reynolds was aware of Higgins' distress shortly after the alleged assault.

The trial is expected to last about five weeks, with high-profile witnesses including former Prime Minister Scott Morrison and former Foreign Minister Marise Payne anticipated to testify.

Brittany Higgins is expected to give evidence in the last week of August, while Lehrmann has consistently denied the allegations against him.

Higgins settled a personal injury claim against the government for an undisclosed amount in December 2022, following her public disclosure of the rape allegation.

During the trial, Reynolds' lawyer claimed that allegations of mistreatment by Reynolds were fabricated by Higgins and her husband, David Sharaz.