Knowing Brisbane Criminal Law Phrases

The Australian legislation is rife with extremely specialised terminology that a lot of people could possibly have trouble understanding. So when you, or someone near to you continues to be confronted with a criminal charge, it’s important to understand the legal terminology which is more likely to surface in legal documents and after a trial. Here we’ve provided a list of many of the more confusing terms and definitions often employed in the Australian criminal justice system.


Acquittal:
This term is used once the magistrate, jury or appeal court find that an individual is not liable in the charges against him/her.
Affidavit:
An itemized declaration made under oath before a notary public or other authorised officer. The individual that has written the declaration claims that the contents are, on the best of their knowledge, true.
Appeal:
To make an appeal would be to have a case to a higher court to be able to challenge a choice created by a reduced court or tribunal. For instance, an appeal from the decision in the Federal Circuit Court of Australia might be built to the government Court. The one that appeals is known as the ‘appellant’. However, it’s important to note that not all decisions may be appealed.
Committal Hearing:
This is a hearing of all evidence that props up charge within the lower court by a magistrate who decides if there is sufficient evidence for your case to go to trial. In a few committal hearings, there may be witnesses who are needed to provide evidence.
Complainant:
This is actually the expression used in court to refer to the victim in the crime committed.
Defendant:
This is actually the expression used in court to refer to the person who is being arrested for a criminal offence. This term is interchangeable with ‘the accused’.
Deposition:
This is a typed copy in the evidence recorded in court.
Exhibits:
All evidence (in addition to evidence provided by the witnesses) needed to present the situation on the court, such as photographs, clothing, documents or some other items that might be strongly related the situation.

Indictable Offence:
A serious Lawyer Brisbane which is commonly heard inside a higher court before a judge plus a jury. Less serious indictable offences, known as summary offences, are generally heard inside a Local Court.
Indictment:
This is a formal written accusation charging you are not an offence which is supposed to have been tried inside a higher court.
Jurisdiction:
This is actually the extent of legal authority/power in the Court to apply what the law states. For instance, in Australia the government Court has jurisdiction under a lot more than 150 Acts in the Commonwealth Parliament.
Mediation:
This is a process whereby an impartial vacation, referred to as mediator, assists in contributing to a compromise or agreed settlement without requiring the decision of the Court.
Plaintiff:
This is actually the expression used to refer to anyone or party who initiates a civil action. In other words, this is the person or party who brings a case contrary to the defendant, and seeks punishment for your person or people that committed the crime.
Plea:
This is how the accused person (the defendant) tells the court whether or not they are guilty or otherwise not guilty of the charge against them. In the event the accused pleads guilty, an effort won’t take place along with the case proceeds to a sentencing hearing, which determines the punishment for your crime.
Subpoena:
A subpoena compels each side somebody at a trial to be able to testify and/or produce documents. This is a court ruling, of course, if it’s disobeyed, the disobedient person could possibly be in contempt of court.
Voir Dire:
This is a legal argument regarding the admissibility of the certain part of evidence in court. If this argument should take place, the witness along with the jury are delivered of court until it finishes.

For those who have inquiries regarding a criminal charge in Brisbane, please don’t hesitate to call us. Here at Guest Lawyers, we specialise in criminal law and will be happy to help you with inquiries or concerns. Goal to deliver honest, respectful and easy to be aware of legal counsel to be able to slow up the stress related to your litigation.
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