The Herald Sun defamed Victorian Deputy Opposition Leader Sam Groth by implying he sexually assaulted his wife when she was underage, according to court documents.

The allegations are contained in a statement of claim filed on behalf of Sam and Brittany Groth, who are suing the paper over three articles published in July.

The couple are seeking unspecified damages in the Federal Court, with Mr Groth arguing he was defamed, and his wife claiming she suffered emotional distress from the paper's alleged breach of her privacy.

The case is a test of newly updated federal laws, which now permit courts to award up to $478,000 in damages for serious invasions of privacy .

The Herald Sun articles questioned the genesis of the couple's relationship and whether Mr Groth had committed a criminal

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