One notorious rule of the special leave process is that parties must (typically) fully detail their oral submissions within a strict 20 minute time limit.
Around 80% of special leave applications are decided by the High Court without an oral hearing.
Special leave applications in the High Court are typically an extremely complex and expensive process.
Legal practitioners who have experience in the special leave process are highly prized, and barristers with a proven ability to successfully raise cases through the special leave process are highly regarded.
On occasion the court does decide cases in this way, even after the full hearing has occurred; a practice that has puzzled Australian legal academics.