Human Rights, Human Services and the Law

Unit Number: 400195
Lecturer: Maggie Hall
COURT REPORT 2015
Weight: 40%
Length: 2200 words
Due date: Before 10pm Wednesday October 30 September 2015
via Turnitin
Before you go to court
Watch video“ So help me god” before going to court
Look up the court website, familiarise yourself with who’s who in
court.
SECTION ONE: Court Report Questionnaire (200 words)
SECTION TWO: (2000 words)
Observe court proceedings
Evaluate the quality of justice delivered.
You should deal with access to representation and the conduct of the
proceedings as part of your report.
However, you are able to choose any aspect of court proceedings
which you have observed as the foundation for your report.
FORMAT (Report style, mandatory subheadings)
• Introduction: 150 words
BrieXly outline the aspect of court proceedings that you have
decided to focus on and why it is important.
•
Literature review: 200- 600 words
What questions and concerns about justice have been raised by
the essential references?
Refer to other theoretical perspectives in other references
•Observations and Evaluation: 1200 -1800 words
observation section- maximum 70%.
• Present your observational data within a narrative structure that
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tells a story about the major Xindings that can be derived from your
court/tribunal visit – refer to your questionnaire for details.
•Keep your question in mind when you are presenting this data.
Highlight any signiXicant incidents but also give an overall account
of the experience of justice that typical participants might have in
this court.
•Evaluation: Interpret your data in relation to your question.
What is the signiXicance of your Xindings/observations? How do
they relate to the theoretical material?
• Conclusion: 100- 300 words Summarise your main Xindings in
relation to your question
References
Essential references
Mack, K. & Roach- Anleu, S. (2007) ‘ “Getting through the list”: Judge
craft and legitimacy in the lower courts’ Social and Legal Studies, vol.
16, pp. 341-61
Library reading list
Brown et al, Criminal Laws: Materials and Commentary on Criminal
Law and Process in New South Wales, (5th edition, Federation Press,
2011), pp. 142-166

Additional Reading Week 3
Other references
Anderson, J. with Heath, M. (2010) Criminal law guidebook: New
South Wales, South Australia, Victoria, Oxford University Press, South
Melbourne.
Carlen, P. (1976) ‘Magistrates’ Justice’, in Carlen, P. (2010) A
Criminological Imagination Farnham: Ashgate
Daly, K. (2012) ‘ The aims of the criminal justice system’ in Malmo, de
Lint and Palmer (2012) Crime and justice: A guide to criminology 4th
edition, Law Book Company
Additional Reading Week 5
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Gray, A.S., Forrell, S. &Clarke, S. (2009) ‘Cognitive impairment, legal
need and access to justice’, Justice Issues, Paper 10 Law and Justice
Foundation of New South Wales
Hall, M 2010, ‘Key themes in New South Wales criminal
justice’, Current Issues in Criminal Justice, vol. 22, no. 1, pp. 19-43.
Library reading list
McBarnet, D (1981) Conviction: Law, the state and the construction of
justice London, Macmillan (on reserve)
Parliament of Australia, Senate Legal and Constitutional Committee
(2004) Inquiry into Legal Aid and Access to Justice
This report has many relevant chapters including the following
(Chapter 10: ‘ Self-Represented Litigants’), (Chapter 5: Indigenous
Legal Services) Chapter 8 Other Groups with Particular Needs)
Assessments -Court report resources
Roach- Anleu S., Mack, K. (2007) ‘Magistrates, Magistrates Courts and
Social Change’, Law and Policy vol. 29, no.2 pp. 183-209
Library reading list
Tait, D (1999) ‘Boundaries and Barriers: The Social Production of
Space in Magistrates Courts and Guardianship Tribunals Journal of
Social Change and Critical Inquiry, 1. Library reading list
Tait, D (2003) ‘The Ritual Environment of the Mental Health Tribunal
Hearing: Inquires and reXlections’, Psychiatry, Psychology and Law, vol.
10 pp. 91-96 Library reading list
Vanny, K. A., Levy, M. H., Greenberg D. M &. Hayes, S.C (2009) ‘Mental
Illness and Intellectual Disability in Courts’, Journal of Intellectual
Disability Research vol. 5 Library reading list
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COURT VISIT INFORMATION SHEET
• All courts except Children’s and Family Courts and where the
judicial ofXicer has closed the court, are open to the public,
therefore you will not need permission to attend. You may wish
to let the court ofXicer know, as a matter of courtesy, that you
will be taking notes
• Please ensure that you dress appropriately and remember that
you are representing the University. Your behaviour should be
respectful and compliant with court conventions – eg turn your
phone off, do not engage in loud conversations in court.
• Most courts have a “list day” in which all of the matters are
“mentioned”. If you wish to attend a hearing (Local Court) or a
trial (higher courts) you will need to look at the list and arrange
your attendance accordingly.
• Many court complexes have numerous courts sitting at the
same time, for example, Downing Centre and Parramatta, which
also have District Courts. The Supreme Court usually only sits
in the CBD. You are more likely to Xind something interesting
where there are a number of courts.
• www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au for information on Courts- lists,
address etc
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