Australian Courts

The Australian court system continues to be the subject of debate and disagreement. Since the appearance of the first edition, Australian Courts of Law has been the standard work on the Australian court system. Now fully revised and updated, it provides a succinct guide to, and analysis of Australian courts and tribunals, their jusrsidiction and their functioning. Australian Courts of Law provides authoritative and comprehensive coverage of all material pertaining to Australian sources. Controversial issues in recent years have included the need for better case management procedures by courts, the growing importance of alternative dispute resolution, and the relationship between courts and tribunals, as well as between specialist and generalist courts. The book traces the development of the Australian court system from their English and colonial origins and gives an up-to-date account of the modern system.Australian Courts of Law is essential reading for all law students and high school legal studies students, and is recommended for anyone seeking an introduction to the Australian courts and the Australian legal system, or interested in further information on their workings and problems.

This definitive survey of the Australian judiciary describes and evaluates the work, techniques, problems and future of courts and judges.

The Mason Court ushered in a new age of Australian jurisprudence. Adopting a more explicit style of judicial reasoning, it drew its precedents from a wider range of jurisdictions and presided over new directions in Australian law in areas ranging from contract to constitutional and equity to native title. Why did this happen and where will it lead? Why are courts overseas feeling similar pressures and how are they reacting? The papers in this book, conceived as a tribute to Sir Anthony Mason, debate the role of courts of final jurisdiction and of their chief justices at the end of the 20th century.

This edited collection brings together scholars and practitioners in every chapter to provide a comprehensive and unique exploration of courts in Australia. The primary focus is to identify controversies, challenges and change, in the form of potential reforms within the courts across Australian jurisdictions. Bringing forward original research and scholarship on a wide array of courts in Australia, combined with insightful practitioner perspectives, research will be effectively integrated with practice. This book is the first comprehensive collection of its kind to canvas the diversity of courts in Australia, providing comprehensive critical analysis of contemporary issues, debates and reforms. It considers the array of courts across state, territory and national jurisdictions in Australia, including coroners’ courts, family courts, criminal, civil courts and problem solving courts. It also adopts an intersectional approach, providing insights into the perspectives of various court users such as people with disability, ethnic minorities, Indigenous Australians, and victims of crime. Each chapter provides opportunities for further debate among scholars, practitioners and students regarding potential future directions for reform to improve the efficacy, equity and accessibility of Australian courts.This collection serves as an international ready reference for students, scholars and practitioners alike.

The High Court, the Constitution and Australian Politics is an in-depth exploration of the relationship between decisions of the High Court and broader political currents in Australia. It begins with an investigation of the patterns and effects of constitutional invalidation and dissent on the High Court over time, and their correlation with political trends and attitudes. It also examines the role of constitutional amendment in expressing popular constitutional understandings in the Australian system. Subsequent chapters focus on the eras marked by the tenure of the Court's 12 Chief Justices, examining Court's decisions in the context of the prevailing political conditions and understandings of each. Together, the chapters canvass a rich variety of accounts of the relationship between constitutional law and politics in Australia, and of how this relationship is affected by factors such as the process of appointment for High Court judges and the Court's explicit willingness to consider political and community values.

This comprehensive account of the Australian national judicial system comprises specialist contributions from experts in their field, including judges, government lawyers, barristers, and academics. At a time of impending reform, it takes stock of the federal judicial system and likely developments.

The Judge, the Judiciary and the Court is aimed at anyone interested in the Australian judiciary today. It examines the impact of the individual on the judicial role, while exploring the collegiate environment in which judges must operate. This professional community can provide support but may also present its own challenges within the context of a particular court's relational dynamic and culture. The judge and the judiciary form the 'court', an institution grounded in a set of constitutional values that will influence how judges and the judiciary perform their functions. This collection brings together analysis of the judicial role that highlights these unique aspects, particularly in the Australian setting. Through the lenses of judicial leadership, diversity, collegiality, dissent, style, technology, the media and popular culture, it analyses how judges work individually and as a collective to protect and promote the institutional values of the court.

Larrikins, larks, lurks and the law. A collection of short stories based on real characters and cases collected over four years as a court reporter for ABC radio.