New Zealand’s ‘Three Strikes and You’re Out’ Policy
Since 2010, New Zealand has implemented a ‘three strikes policy’ to crack down on repeat offenders. The laws take power away from the courts when it comes to determining penalties for those convicted of multiple serious offences, and can lead...
Newspaper: It’s Time to Legalise and Regulate Cannabis
The Economist refers to itself as a newspaper providing expert economic analysis. One of the its stated aims is to “take part in a severe contest between intelligence, which presses forward, and an unworthy, timid ignorance obstructing our progress.” In...
Oral Sex May Become Illegal in Michigan
Australia’s infamous “crimes against nature” laws, which oppressed homosexual men by outlawing anal sex, were repealed decades ago. Over the past few years, there have been moves in several parts of country to facilitate the removal of entries from the...
Cardinal Pell Again Avoids Attending Royal Commission
The man at the centre of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse has been excused from giving evidence in person - much to the outrage of victims and their families. The 74-year-old Cardinal has been accused...
Making a Murderer: David vs Goliath
The ten-hour Netflix documentary series, Making a Murderer, follows the trials of Steven Avery and Brendan Dassey for the rape and murder of Teresa Halbach, revealing significant problems with adversarial justice systems - where a defendant with limited funds is...
Police Face Fines for Preventing Public from Filming Them
Almost everyone has a camera phone these days - a handy tool for capturing timeless memories. But the proliferation of camera phones and CCTV cameras also has a valuable law enforcement function - increasing the likelihood of those acting outside...
The Scary Trend in Online Dating
Tinder, the world’s most popular mobile dating app amongst young people right now, describes itself like this: “The people we meet change our lives. A friend, a date, a romance, or even a chance encounter can change someone’s life forever....
‘Making a Murderer’: Is Steven Avery Innocent or Guilty?
Over the Christmas and New Year break, many of us spent precious time with loved ones, eating, drinking, and being merry. Others were glued to their TV screens, binge-watching the Netflix true crime series, Making a Murderer, which was released...
How Billie Holiday Broke Her Lawyer’s Heart
Lawyers have a position of responsibility when it comes to their clients, the courts and the community. They hear from people at some of the most difficult, emotional, and important times in their lives. They often hear the full story,...
Judge Refers to Defendant as ‘Mr Guilty’
‘Freudian slips’ happen to all of us from time to time. Unfortunately, judges are also prone to slip-ups - even when giving crucial instructions to jurors when a defendant’s future is on the line. Indeed, there are several instances of...
