In the 1980s, Jennifer Thompson survived a brutal rape. She had studied her attacker’s face very carefully so she would be able to seek justice if she survived the ordeal. Her honest and detailed eyewitness evidence helped to convict and imprison Ronald Cotton for rape and burglary. Mr Cotton served ten and a half years of… Read more »
New South Wales Deputy Coroner, Magistrate Hugh Dillion, has delivered his findings on the tragic death of baby “Lily Grace”; describing it as “mysterious, distressing and, indeed, confronting”. There are still no clear answers about the circumstances of Lily’s birth and death. Her tiny body was discovered on Maroubra Beach in the early summer days… Read more »
With tens of thousands of lawyers in NSW alone, and just as many criminal laws to follow, it might be difficult to imagine a society without a rigid criminal justice system – devoid of defence lawyers to advise and represent defendants in court. This blog takes a look at the origins of professional legal advisors… Read more »
Going to court is not normally a pleasant event; but for some, it’s downright spooky. In fact, there have been reports of ghost sightings and other paranormal activity in some NSW courts. ‘John’, resident ghost of Casino Local Court Casino, a small town in Northern NSW, is supposedly haunted by resident ghost ‘John.’ The registrar… Read more »
NSW is set to welcome a brand new Coroner’s Court, with Attorney General Gabrielle Upton announcing a $100 million package earlier this week. The package will see the NSW Coroner’s Court, which has been located in Glebe since 1970, relocated to Lidcombe in Sydney’s west. NSW Health Pathology’s forensic medicine unit will also be shifted… Read more »
Crowdfunding is a way of financing your endeavour through donations of money from the public. You start by posting a campaign idea online, together with a description of the project. If members of the public want to support the campaign, they can donate money to help you achieve the goal. People who make donations are… Read more »
Criminal lawyer Alan Blacker found himself on the firing line during an appearance in Cardiff Crown Court last year, and is now under investigation for claims he made during that court appearance. Mr Blacker, who has very long hair, wore an array of St John Ambulance medals and ribbons to court, where he appeared before… Read more »
Country and regional areas have among the highest crime rates in the state – and these figures generally increase during the holiday season as thousands flock to music festivals and family holidays up and down the coast. For that reason, we often see an increase in people coming before country courts in the New Year,… Read more »
The job of a magistrate or judge can’t always be easy; and like anyone else, they can lose their temper from time to time. Here are a few examples: Serial Offender – Magistrate Jennifer Betts Many experienced criminal lawyers in Sydney will be familiar with the courtroom antics of Magistrate Betts, who was ultimately referred… Read more »
We recently wrote a blog about the government’s proposed $20 million cash injection to help clear the backlog of cases waiting to be heard in the NSW District Court. A report by the Audit Office of NSW suggests that this money will be well spent – as holding defendants ‘on remand’ (ie in custody awaiting… Read more »
