Some may feel resentful that we have unelected official who appeared to be generously paid and difficult to remove, but there are good reasons why the salaries of judges and magistrates are higher than those of many other public sector employees. Newspapers and other media outlets often criticise judicial decisions, especially if they feel that… Read more »
Police are not allowed to keep you under arrest without charge indefinitely. Unless you are suspected of terrorism, they can only keep you under arrest for six hours before they either charge you with an offence or release you from custody, unless an extension is granted by a detention warrant. A detention warrant can extend… Read more »
In recent years, the growing dangers of using a mobile phone while driving have led to media campaigns to ‘get your hand off it!’. While tougher penalties were put in place to act as a deterrent, the enforcement of those laws has proved to be a problem as it relies heavily on police being able… Read more »
One South Australian man, Trevor Johnson, fought unfair charges of hindering police in court and won. He had been arrested and taken to the local police station after he tried to stop a police officer from inspecting his car for faults. Mr Johnson argued with police, believing they had wrongfully targeted him. He then locked… Read more »
Our criminal justice system relies on the majority of defendants pleading guilty in order to avoid an enormous backlog of cases. But did you know that over half of all defendants plead guilty early on, and a further 28 per cent of end up pleading guilty at a later stage in their criminal proceedings? Only… Read more »
There are thousands-upon-thousands of types of criminal offences in NSW, and it is unlikely that there are many of us that haven’t committed a crime at some point in our lives. Many of us may have received a parking or speeding ticket, but not all offences are classified as ‘criminal’ and will lead to a… Read more »
If you are going to court for the first time, it is a good idea to arrive in court well before your case is scheduled Some courthouses like the Downing Centre are large complexes with much more to them than a couple of courtrooms. The Downing Centre has many levels of courtroom. It also has… Read more »
You might be wondering, what is a DUI and how is it different to a PCA offence? DUI is also known as driving under the influence of any alcohol or other drug. It is a charge that may be brought where there was no valid breath test to confirm a particular blood alcohol concentration. This… Read more »
In general, courts are open to the public to attend, but filming in the court was strictly forbidden without express court permission. There has been the odd example of filming in court – like Gordon Wood’s successful appeal when his murder conviction was overturned in front of the camera. Examples have, however, been few and… Read more »
If you have ever been lost in a foreign country where you don’t speak the language, you probably felt a bit lost and anxious. It is quite clear that being unable to speak the language in a stressful environment can be a very difficult experience. Being in a police station or courtroom and not being… Read more »
