If you’ve ever watched a TV courtroom drama, you might think that the judge plays a very active role in jury trials – asking questions about the evidence, witnesses and, of course, making decisions about the law. In reality, however, this is not normally the way it plays out. While a judge oversees the case,… 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 »
We previously reported that in April 2014, former Hey Dad! star Robert Hughes was convicted of sexual assaulting four girls aged between 7 and 15 years during the period 1984 to 1990. Hughes was sentenced to 10 years and 9 months imprisonment, with a non-parole period of 6 years. Hughes has had a hard time… Read more »
A recent study by the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) have compared the rates of reoffending for defendants who were sentenced to prison with those who instead received a suspended sentence. Which one was the most effective? The results might surprise you! What is a suspended sentence? A suspended sentence in NSW… 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 »
District Courts across New South Wales have been plagued by ongoing delays, and are currently experiencing a backlog of more than 2,000 cases. With tough new bail laws, this means that more and more defendants are left languishing in prison awaiting trial, while victims have to wait longer to testify in court and put events… Read more »
It seems logical that if two people commit a crime together, they should face the same or similar punishment. However, different sentences can certainly be handed-down on the basis that one of the offenders has a more serious criminal history, or was on bail or a good behaviour bond at the time of the offence,… Read more »
The High Court is the highest judicial court in Australia, and is called upon to decide some of the most important and challenging legal issues that affect our nation. The Justices of the High Court may be called upon to decide questions about a range of legal fields: from taxation law to property, copyright, family,… Read more »
