Court Slams Police Over Illegal Facebook Hack
The defendant is normally the one who ‘faces the fire’ inside the courtroom. But in one recent court case in Sydney, the tables were turned when it was revealed that a police officer had acted outside the law. The Case...
DNA Falsely Connecting People to Crimes
DNA is often thought of as a ‘magic bullet’ – having the ‘final say’ as far as the facts are concerned, but this isn’t always the case. In fact, the improper use of DNA evidence is fraught with danger -...
Should Judges Take Criticism and Shut Up?
Not everyone has a high opinion of our justice system, and many believe that judges are ‘too soft’ on offenders and ‘out of touch’ with community expectations. But that view is inconsistent with studies showing that, when presented with all...
‘WTF’ Cases That Will Have You Shaking Your Head
Animals have no independent voice, and it is left to concerned humans to conserve and protect them from cruelty. Although we still have a long way to go before animals are granted basic rights, there are acts of cruelty that...
Stars of Australian Sport on the Wrong Side of the Law
Our sporting stars are admired by millions of Australians, but this does not mean they are out of the law’s long reach. Here we share the stories of five icons of Australian sport who have recently faced criminal charges. 1....
World’s Most Secure Jail: Crocodile Prison Island
The last few months have seen a number of high-profile inmates escape from NSW prisons. In August, for example, Stephen Jamieson escaped from the maximum security Goulburn Correctional Centre where he was serving time for armed robbery. He was arrested...
Courts Show No Leniency Towards Drug Addicted Offenders
A recent case in Downing Centre District Court illustrates the way in which the courts deal with drug addicted people who commit crime to support their habit. In R v Ligaiviu [2015], the offender’s addiction to crystal methamphetamine, or ‘ice’,...
Man Released Due to Lack of Prison Resources
In the latest example of the effects of prison overcrowding, a District Court judge has been forced to release an alleged drug supplier on bail due to a lack of resources in prisons and remand centres. The unnamed man appeared...
Australia Applies to Join the UNHRC: But Existing Members are Critical
Delegates from more than 100 countries delivered speeches during the latest meeting of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, many of whom were highly critical of Australia’s human rights record, especially our treatment of asylum seekers. Countries...
Individual Law Firm Websites: A Thing of the Past?
The way that people find lawyers has changed dramatically over the past decade. Word of mouth has always been important - but it is hard to find any criminal law firm that does not advertise or market itself in one...
