From the time that an alleged offence was committed, right up to the time it is finalised in court, considerable time may have passed. This may be months or even years in the lengthier cases. The different stages that a case goes through from start to finish is poorly understood and somewhat complex. Each case… Read more »
While road rage is something we may all internally battle, one lawyer certainly didn’t manage to contain his anger after running straight into a motorcycle rider. The rider, 28-year-old Alex Chapman, had only been on his L-plates for less than one week. He was riding along the Pacific Highway when hit from behind by Murray… Read more »
Since its introduction just a few months ago, the new NSW Bail Act 2013 has caused controversy and criticism throughout NSW. The controversy has centred on concerns that the new act is too lenient towards suspects, and media reports about ‘dangerous criminals’ being let out of prison. The provisions of the current Bail Act were… Read more »
Research from the Australian Institute of Criminology has found that arrests due to drug charges have increased in recent years, and cannabis remains the most common drug accounting for arrest. The number of those arrested on drug charges relating to cannabis has been growing by about three per cent per year. Most of those facing… Read more »
The right to silence has been watered-down in recent times and it has been suggested that there are situations when exercising your right to silence might now be against your interests when it previously may not. To discuss this issue, let’s look at the changes. In 2013, an addition to the NSW Evidence Act meant… Read more »
The offender, Mahmoud Mariam, seemed to show little remorse when he was originally sentenced to at least five years and nine months behind bars in 2012. The son of Mr Knight couldn’t believe the cheering when the verdicts were handed down. He predicted that this would not be the last person to get shot in… Read more »
Despite robbery rates remaining stable throughout NSW over the past year, this has not been the case for one unfortunate sports club in the Blue Mountains, which was robbed once in the 90s, in 2001 and then again in 2013. The most recent case was finalised in the Parramatta District Court last month. The culprits,… Read more »
The NSW city of Queanbeyan recently made headlines for a serious assault offence. This city of just 37,000 people doesn’t regularly make the national news, but this time it was the scene of a particularly vicious assault. The city has a strong historical connection with alcohol and violence. From 1911 to 1928, when the sale… Read more »
Silly mistakes can have a sneaky habit of catching up with us. We’ve all done things we regret and may have even had a run in with the law. If you’ve got a criminal record, you may still be feeling its implications years down the track. Surely, you think, how can I still be paying… Read more »
Serious criminal cases are normally finalised in the higher courts such as the District or Supreme courts. However, you may have noticed that defendants in serious cases attend the Local Court at the start of the proceedings. Why is that? It’s because all criminal cases will normally start off in the Local Court, no matter… Read more »
