News
Fingerprints and DNA – Know your rights, or lack thereof…
If you are a person of interest to police or have been charged with a crime, chances are that they will want your fingerprints and DNA. Over the past few years, their power to take these from you has increased. Here is what you need to know courtesy of our criminal...
Victoria Firearms and Control of Weapons (Machetes) Amendment Bill 2024
The Victorian Government has recently passed legislation amending the Firearms Act 1996 and the Control of Weapons Act 1990. The Firearms and Control of Weapons (Machetes) Amendment Bill 2024 (Vic) primarily seeks to enhance the powers of Victoria Police in issuing...
Unexplained Wealth Restraining Orders under the Confiscation Act 1997 (Vic)
Restraining orders in Victoria are governed under the Confiscation Act 1997 (Vic) (‘the Act’). In this blog, we will help you understand what these orders are and the purposes for which they are made. We will also break down unexplained wealth restraining orders, as...
Going to Court for the First Time
If you have been summonsed to Court for the first time, you may be justifiably nervous and unsure about what to do when you go to court for the first time. Criminal lawyers go to court all the time and sometimes we forget that, for others, it is a completely new and...
Mandatory Men’s Behaviour Change Programs
In recent years, there has been a growing recognition of the complex and sensitive issues surrounding family violence. As the community strives towards greater gender equality and safety, one critical aspect of this effort involves providing effective support for...
Crime in the Spotlight: Criminal Matters & the Media
Criminal matters running through the Court have always attracted media attention. Crime is a hot topic in the media and, if you attend Court, you will see journalists in Court taking notes or outside Court filming for the news. Journalists can report on anything said...
The Reality of Going to Trial: 6 Facts You May Not Know
Every day, accused people stand trial in front of a jury of their peers, who are charged with delivering a verdict on their guilt. It is a nerve-wracking time for an accused person and, in all likelihood, they have never gone through the process before. Listed below...
Youth Crime: Youth Justice Applications for Sentencing
In Victoria, separate bail and sentencing regimes exist which apply specifically to children and young people. This article outlines the youth justice framework which applies to people under the age of 21 who are to be sentenced to serious offences (or multiple...
Sentencing Act Compensation Applications
In Victoria, if you have been found guilty and been convicted of an offence, you may be liable for victims compensation. Under the Sentencing Act, victims can apply for compensation if they have suffered injury as a result of the offender’s crime. Such orders differ...
Understanding the 2024 Bail Reforms
For a number of years, and particularly since the tragic events which unfolded in Bourke Street, Melbourne, in 2017, the issue of bail has been a contentious and political issue. More recently, the death of Veronica Nelson in custody (and the subsequent coronial...