Search Results (629)

: pell

We recently posted a blog about a truck driver who received a speeding ticket based upon a police officer’s ‘estimate of speed’. The officer in question declared himself to be an ‘expert’ at estimating speed. Many people could not believe...

Child sexual abuse is an epidemic that has plagued some of the most influential institutions in the country; including churches, schools and major sporting clubs. And as the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (the ‘RCIRCSA’) enters...

Imagine this: the fate of an innocent person is in your hands - but your professional obligations prevent you from speaking out. One survey of Australian criminal lawyers found that 75% have regularly lain awake worrying about ethical issues connected...

Sentencing is a challenging exercise which tests the skills of even the most experienced criminal lawyers, magistrates and judges. And when courts are too heavy-handed, an appeal may be the best way to set things straight. The following outlines three...

In June 1995, the body of Sydney model Caroline Byrne was found at The Gap, Watson’s Bay. It took thirteen years for Gordon Wood, her then boyfriend, to stand trial for her murder. He was adamant that she committed suicide,...

A few weeks ago we reported that two current High Court Justices, Susan Crennan and Kenneth Hayne, will be due to retire next year when they reach the age of 70. Their imminent departure sparked discussion within the legal profession...

Technology is evolving at a staggering pace and this is never more evident than in the criminal justice system. New technology is continually affecting every stage of the forensic process, from the reporting of crime to the types of evidence...

Jury duty is not something that most people look forward to. It can be onerous and time consuming. In NSW, it’s not very well paid and can cause particular difficulties for those who are self-employed and need to be physically...

While many of us might think of television police dramas when we hear the words cold case, there are many unsolved cases in police jurisdictions across Australia, just waiting for breakthroughs. When it comes to unsolved cases, things like developments...

The use of Tasers by police officers in NSW has been under scrutiny over recent years after a number of high profile cases where the weapons have been misused against members of the public. In 2012, the NSW Ombudsman published...