Inbrief

NSW Government to crackdown on "rogue JPs"

New South Wales Attorney General John Hatzistergos has announced plans for a code of conduct for justices of the peace.

"Recent reports have seen a number of JPs exploiting their office for personal...

Judicial appointments without fear or favour should be seen to be done: Commonwealth AG

Attorney-General Robert McClelland has outlined his proposed changes to the�federal judicial appointments process. Addressing the Judicial Appointments Forum at the Bar Association of...

Compulsory family dispute resolution in the Federal Magistrates Court

The Federal Magistrates Court will replace Practice Direction No.2 of 2007 - Family Dispute Resolution - Applications for orders under Part VII Family Law Act 1975,�in order to make its...

Urgent ethical guidance for members

Standards

Barristers may require urgent ethical guidance such as during an adjournment at court. Barristers are reminded of the current system in place which is available to members of the...

New International Criminal Court Regulations

The Australian Government has gazetted the International Criminal Court Regulations 2008 under s188 of the International Criminal Court Act 2002. The purpose of the regulations, as stated in the...

Administrative arrangements for the ACT Registry of the Federal Court

A new Notice to Practitioners has been issued in the ACT Registry. The notice, Administrative Arrangements (ACT 2008/01), is available on the court's website. The revised notice replaces...

Legislation to note: The Crimes (Forensic Procedures) Amendment Act 2007

The Crimes (Forensic Procedures) Amendment Act 2007 will commence on 25 March 2008.

The objects of the Act are:

(a) to extend the circumstances in which a person suspected of a crime may be...

Transfer of transcript sales from Reporting Services Branch to court registries

The Attorney General's Department has transferred transcript ordering from the Goodsell Building to the registries of the Supreme Court, District Court and Industrial Relations Commission. All...

Barristers' costs in advance

Barristers are reminded that changes to the legal profession legislation on 1 July 2007 restricted a barrister’s ability to receive� his or her costs in advance. Such costs are permissible...

Bar Library resumes normal operations

After weeks of drilling and hammering the plaster dust has been swept away and the newly refurbished Bar Library has resumed normal service.� � All outstanding loans must now be returned.

Yoga Classes at the Bar

Yoga classes for New South Wales Bar Association members start on 28 April 2008�- Tuesday 7:15am. Wednesday 4:45pm. Friday 1pm. Cost: $150 for 10 week (10 class) term OR $20 casual class. Learn...

What women lawyers really think - of each other

Not wanting to shy away from a difficult issue, the American Bar Association's ABA�Journal�surveyed women lawyers to find out whether they preferred to work with men or other women....

Bouquets for the Bar Association in the 42nd Australian Parliament

Bob Debus MP, former attorney general of New South Wales, now minister for home affairs, has delivered his maiden speech in the Australian Parliament. Mr Debus listed the priorities for his new...

Papers to note: A Review of Legal Professional Privilege and Federal Investigatory Bodies

The final report by the Australian Law Reform Commission into legal professional privilege and federal investigatory bodies has been tabled in the Australian Parliament.�The ALRC�has...

New Bar Council contact for the Far North Coast

Geoff Radburn is stepping aside as the new Bar Council regional contact on the NSW Far North Coast. He will be replaced by Jonathon Priestley of Lismore Chambers. Mr Priestley's may be contacted at:... Read more >

Cases selected for reporting in NSWLR by the editor, Bret Walker SC

The following cases (16) will be headnoted, verified and published in a forthcoming volume of NSWLR.

Burwood Council v Jally Development Pty Ltd [2007] NSWLEC 543 (Biscoe J) (07.08.07) (50014/2007)... Read more >

Justice Scalia on the constitutionality of torture

Justice Antonin Scalia of the United States Supreme Court has granted BBC radio a wide ranging interview, in which he comments on, among other things, Guantanamo Bay, constitutional interpretation,...

Apology to Indigenous Australians must mark the beginning of a new era, says the LCA

The Law Council has welcomed today’s apology by the Australian�Parliament for past injustices to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, as a significant step forward in the...

Phone conferences for Common Law directions hearings

The Supreme Court has announced new arrangements for�telephone conferences, commencing�Tuesday, 11 March 2008. Learn more >

12 February 2008

Screening of Australian Parliament’s apology to the Stolen Generation

At 9am on Wednesday, 13 February the New South Wales Bar Association will�screen the Australian Parliament’s formal apology to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Stolen Generation in...

Right to practise as barrister or solicitor in federal courts and courts exercising federal jurisdiction

Practitioners are reminded of section 55B of the Judiciary Act 1903 which concerns the right to practise in federal courts and courts exercising federal jurisdiction.

The High Court’s web site... Read more >

Uncommenced provisions of the Crimes Amendment Act 2007

The uncommenced provisions of the Crimes Amendment Act 2007 will come into effect on 15 February 2008.

The provisions concerned relate to the following:

• replacing “malicious” as a fault...

Speeches to note: consistency in sentencing

The Hon J J Spigelman AC, chief justice of New South Wales, has delivered�the keynote address to the National Judicial College of Australia's Sentencing 2008 conference on 8 February. Among the...

Counter-terrorism and human rights

The Westminster Parliament's Joint Committee on Human Rights has published�the findings of its hearings into Britain's latest Counter-Terrorism Bill.

11 February 2008

Crown prosecutors and public defenders on secondment

Paul Cattini, crown prosecutor, has been seconded to the NSW Public Defenders�Office for the period commencing 1 January 2008 and expiring on 30 June 2008.�In a reciprocal...