Court Sentences in NSW; Community Service Orders and How They Work
If you have been found guilty of a criminal offence, the courts will sentence you. Court sentences in NSW vary according to the nature and severity of the offence, and they include custodial prison sentences, home detention, good behaviour bonds,...
Offensive Language and Obscene Conduct are NSW Crimes
Are you facing a charge of obscene exposure or offensive conduct? These offences are surprisingly common, and although they are generally not considered severe, you can still end up with a criminal record and a fine, or in some cases...
What is an Interim or Short Term AVO?
If someone applies for an AVO against you, or the police apply on their behalf, you may be served with an interim or short term AVO while the matter is being dealt with further. An interim AVO is similar to...
Visiting a Maximum Security Prisoner in Cessnock Prison
Cessnock prison opened its maximum security section, which is built to house up to 250 inmates, in February 2013. The addition of the new section makes Cessnock prison the largest NSW correctional complex outside Sydney, with a total capacity of...
It Must be Tough to be a Magistrate!
Magistracy: what an unenviable job. I sometimes sit in the courtroom waiting for my turn and watch Magistrates keep their cool while dealing with the most frustrating situations. Dealing with the same cases day-in day-out. Dealing with a court list...
Getting Discharged for a Commonwealth Offence
Our Video and Blog post below talks about the penalties for Commonwealth Offences and the possibility of getting a discharge and avoiding a criminal conviction. Commonwealth offences are offences that have been committed against federal law, rather than state or...
What is Provocation in Criminal Law?
Provocation is a valid partial defence to a murder charge, and can result in a reduction of the charges from murder to manslaughter. If you are facing a charge of murder, you could of course serve a long-term jail sentence...
Will A Good Behaviour Bond Appear on my Criminal Record?
If you are guilty of a criminal offence, you might be given a good behaviour bond. A good behavior bond is a court order which imposes certain conditions on you for a set period of time. A good behaviour bond...
How Do I Work out The Cost of a Criminal Barrister?
If you are facing a legal problem, you want to be sure you are getting the best possible representation and advice. A criminal barrister has the training and experience to provide the highest level of legal assistance to their clients....
Stealing from Australia Post and Other Commonwealth Theft Offences
Stealing from Australia Post is considered a Commonwealth Offence under the Telecommunications and Postal Services Act 1989. Although the penalties for stealing from Australia Post are similar to those for other larceny offences, Australia Post is a government organisation, which...
