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 »
You probably already know this, but just in case, glassing is where someone uses a glass/bottle as a weapon. It has unfortunately become a feature of alcohol-related violence in recent years. In fact, just after 12.30am this morning X Factor judge ‘Redfoo’ sustained a cut to his head after a man allegedly threw a glass… Read more »
No one likes receiving fines but it’s even worse if your financial situation means that you simply can’t afford to pay them. Keep in mind that if you want to contest the infringement notice, and it was one caught on camera, you are allowed to make an application to view the images. This will not… Read more »
Driving while suspended is a criminal offence in NSW. If you are caught driving without a licence, you could find yourself facing fines, a court-imposed disqualification or even prison. Drivers can be suspended by accumulating too many demerit points on their licence. If you have a demerit point disqualification in NSW, it’s important that you… Read more »
During a four-year-long investigation, a complex and organised church sex ring has been uncovered. The pastor, Scott Williams ran his own church, the Christian Assemblies International but preyed on members of the congregation for his own gratification. Former members have now spoken out against the behaviour of Pastor Williams, stating that the organisation was a… Read more »
If you have been charged with common assault, the maximum penalties for assault are set out in legislation, but the actual sentence that you get will be influenced by a lot of factors. According to the law, common assault is the least serious of the assault charges.. If you are guilty, the offence is punishable… Read more »
Police and prosecutors in NSW have a large amount of discretionary power: they can choose whether or not charges can be dropped or reduced, and whether a case will proceed to a defended local court hearing. In any given situation police have a large amount of discretion to exercise their power. But what happens when… Read more »
For the vast majority of criminal cases, an experienced criminal lawyer will be able to handle your case from start to finish. However if your case is heading towards a lengthy District or Supreme Court trial, you may need to think about also engaging a criminal barrister as a part of your criminal defence team…. Read more »
Recent years have seen a surge in the amount of sexual abuse allegations being made. A broad community acceptance over the past decade that sexual abuse exists has led to an increased willingness of victims to speak out which, in turn, has led to a significant rise in cases being brought before the courts. The… Read more »
Imagine this: you are in a police station, having being arrested for assault. You’ve been in the custody area behind closed doors for hours and are incredibly nervous. You know you didn’t do it but the police tell you that they know you did. The police officer says to you: “Listen, we know you didn’t… Read more »
