obiter | ByLawyers News and Updates

Criminal Magistrates’ Court – VIC

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The By Lawyers Criminal Magistrates’ Court publication has been reviewed and enhanced. Improvements following from this review include:

  • The matter plan and commentary have been revised and re-ordered to better reflect the flow of the criminal Magistrates’ Court processes.
  • New and amended commentary headings for improved searchability.
  • The summary of the 2018 bail reforms has been incorporated into the general commentary as those provisions are now entrenched.
  • The commentary on taking instructions in criminal matters has been expanded.
  • The commentary on the preliminary issues which may require practitioners’ attention before the first court appearance, or before a plea is entered, has been enhanced.
  • Commencement of charges is now dealt with in more detail, including notices to appear and the consequently different process which applies compared to a charge and summons, or a warrant.
  • The importance of identifying whether the charge is summary or indictable has been highlighted and discussion of the different processes which apply to each stream has been enhanced.
  • Discussion of the process for charges in the indictable stream has been augmented with new headings added, including the Filing hearing, The hand-up brief, Committal mention, Applying for summary jurisdiction, Pleading guilty at the committal mention and Listing a committal hearing.

Practitioners are reminded that the Criminal Magistrates’ Court publication now also includes the By Lawyers guide to Commonwealth Offences, which covers all aspects of dealing with Commonwealth offences in state courts.

This review is part of the continuing commitment of By Lawyers to updating and enhancing our publications to help our subscribers enjoy practice more.

Serial family violence – WA

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From 1 January 2021 new provisions regarding serial family violence commence in WA. These are the final provisions of the Family Violence Legislation Reform Act 2020. Various sections of this amending Act have commenced over the course of the year. The amendments affect the Criminal Code, Sentencing Act 1995, Bail Act 1982 and Restraining Orders Act 1997, among others.

Serial family violence

From 1 January 2021 there is a presumption against bail for a person charged with a ‘family violence offence’ who has been declared a ‘serial family violence offender’. These terms are defined in s 3 of the Bail Act.

The presumption may be rebutted if there are exceptional reasons why the accused should not be kept in custody and the bail authority is satisfied bail may properly be granted.

Previous amendments

Practitioners will recall that the previously commenced provisions of the amending Act include:

Family violence – Bail considerations

The court may defer consideration of bail for 30 days for an accused charged with an offence where the accused is in a ‘family relationship’ with the victim, as defined in s 3 of the Bail Act. The purpose of the deferral is to allow the court to determine what, if any, bail conditions should be imposed to enhance the protection of the victim of the alleged offence.

There are additional provisions relating to the interaction of bail conditions and restraining orders.

Family violence – Restraining orders

Sections 3 to 6A of the Restraining Orders Act 1997 define all relevant terms used in the Act, including what constitutes ‘family violence’.

Some of the amendments deal with the conduct of family violence proceedings.

The court must enquire as to whether any family law orders are in place for the parties to a restraining order application before the court makes a restraining order. If family law orders are in place, the court must take reasonable steps to obtain a copy or information about the orders and take their terms into account.

At any defended hearing the court is not bound by the rules of evidence and may inform itself on any matter in such a manner as it sees fit: s 44A. This section also specifically makes hearsay evidence admissible.

Victims of family violence may have one or more support person with them when they give evidence.

The court, either on its own motion or at the request of a party, may use CCTV or other screening arrangements for the giving of evidence by any party or witness in restraining order proceedings, subject to consideration of a number of factors set out in s 44E.

More information

The By Lawyers Criminal and Restraining orders guides have been updated accordingly. The changes to these publications will be live from 1 January 2021.

Traffic offences – VIC

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The By Lawyers Traffic Offences – VIC publication has been updated and revised.

With the final commencement of the Road Safety and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2020 on 12 November 2020, the Road Safety Act 1986 has been amended to provide for immediate driver licence or learner permit suspensions in certain cases.

This includes excessive speed offences more than 45 kph over the speed limit which are mobile camera detected or for offences where a motor vehicle is used to cause serious injury or death, police can give the driver notice of immediate licence suspension. This requires the driver to surrender their licence for up to 12 months.

There are also immediate suspensions for certain drink and drug-driving offences and heavy vehicle offences.

These legislative amendments have been incorporated in the commentary in the Traffic Offences – VIC publication.

In addition, the commentary has been reviewed with resultant enhancements. The content is re-ordered for better workflow and improved searchability; specific sections have been added for various aspects of sentencing, such as obtaining medical reports; and links to VicRoads and Transport for Victoria online resources are enhanced. The matter plan has been revised to incorporate these revisions.

101 Costs Answers – ALL STATES

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101 Costs Answers is the latest addition to the By Lawyers ‘101’ series of helpful reference materials.

Located in the Reference materials folder on every By Lawyers matter plan, this publication contains valuable commentary and precedents on all aspects of legal costs.

The precedents include all of the By Lawyers costs agreements/client services agreements and costs disclosures, drawn together from all By Lawyers publications into a convenient single publication.

The By Lawyers costs agreements are compliant with the strict requirements of the various state laws. They cater for all areas of law, with detailed recitals of the scope of work usually undertaken in each type of matter. This not only defines the retainer but makes it easy for practitioners to produce documents quickly upon engagement.

The 101 Costs Answers commentary includes:

Disclosure requirements

The commentary helps practitioners to navigate some of the more complicated disclosure requirements including regulated costs and the specific obligations for different types of litigation matters. The effect of non-disclosure is also covered.

Disbursements

Commentary on defining and recovering disbursements includes relevant case law and examples. The By Lawyers costs agreements are drafted to clearly identify usual disbursements.

Counsel’s fees

The commentary deals with the contractual relationship between solicitors and barristers as well as disclosure requirements. With the solicitor responsible for payment of counsel’s fees regardless of the solicitor’s agreement with the client, the By Lawyers costs agreements include counsel’s fees as specific disbursements which the client is obliged to pay.

Debt recovery

Where debt recovery is necessary, 101 Costs Answers contains letters of demand and example pleadings to assist with the recovery of costs. There is also detailed commentary on costs assessment procedures and the relevant forms for each state are available on the matter plan.

Like all By Lawyers publications, 101 Costs Answers contains interactive links to relevant legislation and cases, which are always kept updated.

Elder abuse orders – SA

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Elder abuse orders are now available in the Magistrates Court.

From 1 October 2020 the criminal division of the Magistrates Court has jurisdiction under Part 4 Division 6 of the Ageing and Adult Safeguarding Act 1995 (‘AASA’) in respect to applications by the Director of the Office for Ageing Well for orders preventing elder abuse, as specified in s 33. This extends to varying such an order, as well as proceedings for alleged contraventions of elder abuse orders.

Section 31 of the AASA provides that if the director reasonably suspects that a vulnerable adult is at risk of abuse and that orders are necessary and appropriate to either protect them or allow further investigation, then the director may apply to the Magistrates Court for an interim or final order.

The procedure for such applications is set out in r 79 Magistrates Court Rules 1992.

Anyone affected by an order may be joined to the proceedings and must be given a reasonable opportunity to be heard. Any other interested party as defined under s 36, may apply to be heard in the proceedings; this includes family members and carers.

Contravention of an order under the AASA is a criminal offence, punishable by heavy fines under s 37.

Commentary on elder abuse applications has been added to the By Lawyers SA Criminal and Intervention Orders commentaries.

Family violence – WA

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From 6 August 2020 some provisions of the Family Violence Legislation Reform Act 2020 commence, amending the Criminal Code, Sentencing Act 1995, Bail Act 1982 and Restraining Orders Act 1997, among others.

Family violence – Bail considerations

The court may defer consideration of bail for 30 days for an accused charged with an offence where the accused is in a family relationship with the victim, as defined in s 3 of the Bail Act. The purpose of the deferral is to allow the court to determine what, if any, bail conditions should be imposed to enhance the protection of the victim of the alleged offence.

There are additional provisions relating to the interaction of bail conditions and restraining orders.

Family violence – Restraining orders

Sections 3 to 6A of the Restraining Orders Act define all relevant terms used in the Act, including what constitutes ‘family violence’.

Some of the amendments deal with the conduct of family violence proceedings.

The court must enquire as to whether any family law orders are in place for the parties to a restraining order application before the court makes a restraining order. If family law orders are in place, the court must take reasonable steps to obtain a copy or information about the orders and take their terms into account.

At any defended hearing the court is not bound by the rules of evidence and may inform itself on any matter in such a manner as it sees fit: s 44A. This section also specifically makes hearsay evidence admissible.

Victims of family violence may have one or more support person with them when they give evidence.

The court, either on its own motion or at the request of a party, may use CCTV or other screening arrangements for the giving of evidence by any party or witness in restraining order proceedings, subject to consideration of a number of factors set out in s 44E.

More information

The By Lawyers Criminal and Restraining orders guides have been updated accordingly.

Further provisions of the amending Act will commence in October 2020. By Lawyers guides will be further updated when those amendments commence.

Online applications for criminal matters – QLD

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Online applications for criminal matters in the Queensland Magistrates Court was enabled from 9 July 2020. Queensland’s Chief Magistrate Judge Terry Gardiner paved the way for the listing of all criminal matters in the Magistrates Courts electronically via the release of a new practice direction.

Magistrates Court Practice Direction 7 of 2020 allows for either prosecutors or defence legal representatives to submit an electronically lodged form for any matters listed in the Magistrates Court seeking an order for a date for a directions hearing, bail application or sentence. However, such applications must be by consent.

If an application is not by consent parties must approach the court in the usual way and Practice Direction 10 of 2010 continues to apply.

“Where a matter has a current listing date, a party may apply electronically where the consent of the other party – prosecution or defence – has been obtained,” Judge Gardner said when releasing the new practice direction.

Online applications can be made for:

  • a sentence date, including a short plea, lengthy plea or contested sentence;
  • an adjournment, other than of a hearing;
  • a date for a hearing of an application, including a bail application or a directions hearing;
  • a direction by the court, including for the provision of a brief of evidence.

Any application where the matter already has any date listed must be made at least two clear business days before the currently listed date.

“The Court will advise the parties electronically of the outcome of the application,” the Chief Magistrate advised. “If the application is not granted by the Court, the current listed Court date remains as well as any orders or directions that have been made.”

Online applications for criminal matters are available now on the courts’ website. The By Lawyers Queensland Criminal Magistrates Court publication has been updated accordingly.

Guide to Commonwealth offences – All states

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A new Guide to Commonwealth offences dealt with in state magistrates’ courts has been added to all By Lawyers Criminal publications.

This helpful new commentary and additional precedents will assist practitioners in advising and representing clients charged with offences under the Crimes Act 1914 (Cth) and the Commonwealth Criminal Code.

The new commentary sets out the procedure for summary and indictable Commonwealth charges in state courts, from bail considerations to sentencing.

The possible sentencing options are covered in detail and there is a very useful table of the Commonwealth offences most frequently encountered in state magistrates’ courts.

New precedents include:

  • Example written submissions in support of an application for discharge of an offender without proceeding to conviction; and
  • Letter to client after sentence – providing for various outcomes.

All existing Retainer Instructions for criminal and bail matters in the respective state Criminal Guides have been enhanced to include Commonwealth offences.

The new Guide to Commonwealth offences can be found in the Related Guides drop-down menu of the Legal Guides tab.

Family violence – WA

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Various legislation has been amended as a result of the Family Violence Legislation Reform (COVID-19 Response) Act 2020.

The amendments provide for:

  • applications for Family Violence Restraining Orders and Violence Restraining Orders to be made online;
  • increased flexibility for courts in allocating hearing dates and serving documents in relation to applications for restraining orders;
  • police to be able to grant bail for breaches of a Family Violence Restraining Order or a Violence Restraining Order in urban areas, consistent with their existing power in regional areas;
  • courts to be able to impose electronic monitoring requirements as part of a home detention order in relation to a restraining order, a bail condition, or a sentence.
  • new offences and penalties for interfering with electronic monitoring equipment, or failing to follow the directions of a community corrections officer for electronic monitoring.

These amendments have been incorporated in the relevant By Lawyers Guides.

See Criminal Magistrates Court, under both Bail and Sentencing and also Restraining Orders for more information.

Commonwealth offences – All states

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Commentary on Commonwealth offences dealt with in state magistrates’ courts has been added to all By Lawyers Criminal Guides.

This new commentary and additional precedents will assist practitioners advising and representing clients charged with offences under the Crimes Act 1914 (Cth) and the Commonwealth Criminal Code.

The new commentary sets out the procedure for summary and indictable Commonwealth charges in state courts, from bail considerations to sentencing.

The possible sentencing options are covered in detail and there is a very helpful table of the Commonwealth offences most frequently encountered in state magistrates’ courts.

New precedents include:

  • Example written submissions in support of an application for discharge of an offender without proceeding to conviction; and
  • Letter to client after sentence – providing for various outcomes.

All existing Retainer Instructions for criminal and bail matters have been enhanced to include Commonwealth offences.

The new content can be found in the IF REQUIRED – COMMONWEALTH OFFENCES folder on the matter plan in every By Lawyers Criminal law guide.

 

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