Court Report - report on visit to a court.
Court Report
1. Where is the court situated? Did you find it difficult to reach?
The local court that I attended was at Hornsby. It was easy to reach since it was on the main road (Pacific Highway) and was located next to the Council Chambers. I attended the Court on Friday the 2nd of August from 10am to 2pm.
2. How was the work distributed at the Court? Compare the number of matters for hearing and mention, eg locate the List Sheets of matters for mention and for hearing and note what types of law the court is dealing with, and the number of matters under each category.
Most of the work was in matters for mention. There were only two matters scheduled for hearing during the day. Whereas I witnessed fourteen matters for mention in the morning at Hornsby Court. Hence there was an emphasis on matters for mention.
Hornsby Court has a system whereby they allocate different types of cases for different days. Friday is the Family Law and Domestic Violence day and hence all the cases debated were to do with these matters.
3. Under what laws did the proceedings arise at the hearing?
The laws involved with the hearing were to do with Family law. The case was to do with parents fighting for custody of their children where they had separated. Hence custody laws and the individual rights of the husband and wife had to be considered.
4. At the Mentions List: describe the court, name of the magistrate presiding, the number of solicitors and barristers in court, the number of people representing themselves at mention. What was the 'atmosphere' and your personal reactions?
The court was quite small, it was carpeted and modern in appearance. It was nothing like a traditional court room which is what I was expecting.
Judge Evans was presiding at the court. He seemed quite informal, even being sarcastic at times. At the mentions list, there were three barristers and two solicitors, there was also a Police Prosecutioner. The barristers had arranged proceedings such that all
1. Where is the court situated? Did you find it difficult to reach?
The local court that I attended was at Hornsby. It was easy to reach since it was on the main road (Pacific Highway) and was located next to the Council Chambers. I attended the Court on Friday the 2nd of August from 10am to 2pm.
2. How was the work distributed at the Court? Compare the number of matters for hearing and mention, eg locate the List Sheets of matters for mention and for hearing and note what types of law the court is dealing with, and the number of matters under each category.
Most of the work was in matters for mention. There were only two matters scheduled for hearing during the day. Whereas I witnessed fourteen matters for mention in the morning at Hornsby Court. Hence there was an emphasis on matters for mention.
Hornsby Court has a system whereby they allocate different types of cases for different days. Friday is the Family Law and Domestic Violence day and hence all the cases debated were to do with these matters.
3. Under what laws did the proceedings arise at the hearing?
The laws involved with the hearing were to do with Family law. The case was to do with parents fighting for custody of their children where they had separated. Hence custody laws and the individual rights of the husband and wife had to be considered.
4. At the Mentions List: describe the court, name of the magistrate presiding, the number of solicitors and barristers in court, the number of people representing themselves at mention. What was the 'atmosphere' and your personal reactions?
The court was quite small, it was carpeted and modern in appearance. It was nothing like a traditional court room which is what I was expecting.
Judge Evans was presiding at the court. He seemed quite informal, even being sarcastic at times. At the mentions list, there were three barristers and two solicitors, there was also a Police Prosecutioner. The barristers had arranged proceedings such that all