The South Australian Law Reform Institute has recommended that the choice to take a religious oath when giving evidence should be scrapped in favour of a universal, non-religious promise to tell the truth in court, known as an ‘affirmation’. The Institute made several recommendations in its final report delivered just this week, which was a… 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 »
Going to court can be a daunting experience, especially when you don’t have an experienced lawyer to guide you through the process and speak for you inside the courtroom. Here are four of the most common mistakes made by those who choose to represent themselves in court. 1. Entering the Wrong Plea Deciding whether to… Read more »
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 »
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 »
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 »
