Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

Canberra / Melbourne / Brisbane / Sydney / Adelaide

Please refer to: Criminal Practice Outline 2013

Darwin

This 5 day intensive (Monday to Friday) course is offered twice a year - once in May and once in September in

Darwin. The course is designed for graduates preparing for legal practice who wish to build their knowledge and

skills in criminal law practice for the defence and for the prosecution. The course addresses the APLEC

Competencies for Criminal Law Practice while being jurisdictionally, procedurally and contextually specific to the

Northern Territory. 

Themes include:

• The context of criminal law practice
• The roles and professional responsibilities of criminal defence lawyers and prosecutors
• Roles of key criminal justice agencies and facilities in the NT
• Police powers and practices particularly: investigation, arrest, charging, bail, police witnesses
• Magistrates Court criminal lists: routines; procedures; court etiquette
• Bail applications, plea in mitigation, sentencing options
• Preparing a case for defended hearing – the defence and the prosecution
• Questioning in chief, cross examination, tender of exhibits, objecting
• Acting in matters where the accused is a young person; substance dependent; has a mental health problem
• Aboriginal justice issues including: Anunga rules; Royal Commission into Deaths in Custody; Aboriginal Interpreter Service; NT Intervention; diversion and sentencing
• Particular charges: traffic offences; drink driving; drug offences; charges arising from domestic violence or breach of a domestic violence restraining order
• Victims crime: giving evidence, court support, Crime Victim’s Compensation
• Complaints about police, corrections and other agencies
• Current issues in criminal law, links between practice, policy and reform.

The course has been offered each year since 2004 in partnership with the courts, local practitioners and agencies

in Darwin.

The course includes:

• demonstration and practice sessions led by local practitioners and workers in relevant local agencies
• simulated advising, case preparation and practice appearances by students.

Workshops are held at locations in the Darwin City area e.g. Magistrates Court, Supreme Court, NT DPP,

Commonwealth DPP, NT Legal Aid, North Australian Justice Agency, counsels chambers, Mitchell Street Police

Station.  The involvement of the NT Aboriginal Interpreter Service has been one of the highlights of the course. This

includes the opportunity for students to practice working with Aboriginal interpreters.

Perth

The course involves a partnership between the ANU Legal Workshop and Legal Aid Western Australia. The current

course is delivered by Legal Aid WA as a 5 day intensive (Monday to Friday) course. It is offered once a year in

March in Perth. The course meets the Australasian Professional Legal Education Council’s (APLEC)

Competencies for Entry Level Lawyers in respect of Criminal Practice.

Other Information

Criminal Practice is an on site course held in Canberra, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth and

Darwin. The Perth and Darwin Criminal Practice courses  run for 5 days and are jurisdictionally specific in their

teaching. The Canberra, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide courses run for 4 days on-site with additional

coursework running before and after the intensive.  The jurisdiction studied has no bearing on the state a student

plans to be admitted into.

Criminal Practice usually is scheduled to coincide with undergraduate non teaching periods.

Classification in Graduate Studies Select:  Specialist.

In addition as an elective in the GDLP program, it can be used as part of the articulation into the LLM and LLM (in

practice) programs.

Indicative Assessment

Canberra / Melbourne / Brisbane / Sydney / Adelaide

This  intensive, onsite course is offered in Canberra, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide for those with the

 intention to practise in criminal law, as defence advocates or prosecutors. The delivery is through interviewing of,

and presentations from, people who work within our criminal justice system (for example, judiciary, prosecution,

defence advocate, mental illness, corrections, forensic science, victim interests, police).  This course has a strong

'practical' element requiring court visits before and after the intensive days, written 'reflective' critique on those

visits, and 'advocacy' presentation.

Darwin

There are 4 assessable elements:

• Quality of participation in class discussion and exercises
• Exercise/s which involve taking instructions, giving advice and appearing (e.g. an application for bail / plea)
• Exercise which involves performance of examination ‘in chief’ and ‘cross-examination
• A reflective description of a summary criminal hearing which you observe after completing the intensive. The observation can be undertaken in the location / jurisdiction; it does not have to be undertaken in Darwin or in the NT.

Perth

In order to successfully complete the Criminal Practice WA course a participant must:

• Attend and participate in practical activities and assessments, and
• Demonstrate competency in relation to the APLEC standards for Criminal Practice.

The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.

Workload

Canberra / Melbourne / Brisbane / Sydney / Adelaide

• Pre-course reading and attending court,
• Four week days on site, 9am - 5pm
• Approximately five hours to attend court and write a report. Reports are to be submitted within three weeks from the completion of the on-site intensive.

Darwin

• Approximately four hours pre-course on reading materials
• Five days face-to-face intensive
• Approximately five hours to attend court and write report within five weeks of the intensive.

Perth

• Approximately six hours pre-course on reading materials.
• All participants are also encouraged to observe a Magistrates Court criminal trial before commencing the course.
• Five days face-to-face intensive
  

Prescribed Texts

Canberra / Melbourne / Brisbane / Sydney / Adelaide

Hugh Selby,  Advocacy: Preparation and Performance, which can be obtained from the publisher:

http://www.federationpress.com.au/bookstore/book.asp?isbn=9781862877443 .

Darwin

There are no prescribed texts. Course materials will be available before the course begins for download via the

Wattle area for the course.

Perth

There are no prescribed texts. Course materials will be sent to enrolled students before the commencement of the

course.

Preliminary Reading

Canberra / Melbourne / Brisbane / Sydney / Adelaide

Please refer to: Criminal Practice Reference Materials 2013

Darwin

Students should skim the course materials before the intensive to familiarise themselves in a general way with the content.

Perth

Students should read the course materials sent to them before attending the intensive.

Assumed Knowledge

LLB, JD or completion of LPAB program.

Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links