Getting Charges Withdrawn in the Magistrates’ Court Having charges dropped doesn’t just happen in the movies. There are several ways to have your charges withdrawn which might result your case being over entirely. The only way to have charges withdrawn...
Sentence Indication in the Magistrates’ Court – What are They and How are They Used? A person accused of a criminal offence heard in the Magistrates’ Court can apply for a ‘sentence indication’ under the Criminal Procedure Act. A sentence...
What is a Contest Mention? You may have heard your lawyer refer to your matter ‘proceeding to contest mention hearing’. A ‘summary contest’ is what we call a ‘trial’ in the Magistrates’ Court. The summary contest is heard by a...
Committal Mention Hearings A committal mention hearing is one of the first hearings you will need to attend if you have been charged with an indictable offence and there is a potential for your case to go to a jury...
Diversion – How Does it Work? Many jobs and volunteer positions require a national police check, meaning a criminal history can have a serious impact on your future prospects. While Victoria now has the Spent Conviction Scheme that will allow...
Mention Hearings at the Magistrates’ Court If you have been charged with a summary criminal offence, you will be summonsed, bailed or remanded to a Mention date at the Magistrates’ Court in Victoria. If you are charged with an indictable...
Different Ways Your Case Can Finalise in the Magistrates’ Court If you have been charged by the police, you might be surprised to know that there are five ways your case can finalise in the Magistrates’ Court. Three out of...
How to Prepare and Appear for a Webex Hearing at the Magistrates’ Court Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Magistrates’ Court has been conducting court hearings remotely using Webex. With the easing of restrictions, there has been an increase in...
How Sentencing Actually Works Versus How the Public Think Judges Get It Wrong Generally, the police or the Director of Public Prosecutions are responsible for determining what criminal charges a person will face based on available evidence. Statistics suggest that...
Committal Mentions – A Detailed Look at Procedure and Preparation If you have been charged with a more serious criminal offence, the process is different to the less serious matters in the summary stream that stay in the Magistrates’ Court....
