A Plain English Guide to the Courtroom
The law, like other professions, has its own language. It helps keep all the lawyers huddled around some special stuff and keep the rest of us outside.
This section provides people in prison with information about their legal rights and how to make best use of them.
If you have any general legal questions that you would like to be answered, please let us know.

The law, like other professions, has its own language. It helps keep all the lawyers huddled around some special stuff and keep the rest of us outside.
New laws mean that immigration detention officers can now confiscate things like mobile phones, iPads and laptops, which were previously allowed in detention centres. If you’re facing time in immigration detention at the end of your sentence, this article gives some practical tips to prepare for the new rules before you go.

The criminal justice system deals with proof, not truth. The police and Crown present allegations; the defence rebuts them; the jury decides whether the Crown has met the required standard of proof. “Truth” and “innocence” are not part of the legal equation.

There are major differences between how offences in prisons are dealt with around Australia. These offences typically range from minor ones, such as keeping an untidy cell, to more serious ones and others that can become criminal charges.

Your security classification impacts which prison you are placed in and the level of security that is imposed on you.

Wrongdoing thrives in the darkness. Too often, it is only because of brave people who speak out that the public learns what is happening in the shadows.

There are lots of reasons why people may get lighter or heavier sentences than someone else who has committed the same crime.

You got this letter to say that your visa has been cancelled due to your offending. This means you no longer hold a visa.

If you are charged with breaking a rule in prison, this can result in disciplinary action, in addition to potential criminal charges.

In Queensland, there have been concerns raised about the way DNA evidence is processed and examined in forensic laboratories.

The way the NSW court system deals with bail hearings on weekdays has changed.


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