Justices Act review: Consultation open to 30 June

The Department of Justice and Attorney-General is undertaking a comprehensive review of the Justices Act 1886 (Qld).¹

The department has established a review team, led by retired District Court judge and former Childrens Court President Michael Shanahan AM, who have been tasked to:²

• make recommendations to create a new framework for contemporary and effective criminal procedure laws applying in Queensland’s Magistrates Courts, and
• based on the recommendations, provide expert criminal law guidance, knowledge, and oversight to the secretariat team in developing new criminal procedure legislation for the Magistrates Courts.

As part of the review, the department has released the Criminal Procedure Review Magistrates Court – Consultation Paper for consultation.

The consultation paper poses a number of consultation questions relating to current criminal procedures in the Magistrates Courts, the way processes work, and views on possible improvements.

Submissions

Interested parties are invited to make submissions on the questions in the consultation paper, as well as other topics not included there.

Submissions can be lodged with the department by 30 June. See the consultation paper for submission details.

Alternatively, Queensland Law Society is drafting its own submission. Members are welcome to send comments and feedback to QLS Legal Policy team (policy@qls.com.au) by 16 June.

Footnotes
¹ Department of Justice and Attorney-General, Criminal Procedure Review – Magistrates Courts (web page).
² Terms of reference to the Review of Criminal Procedure in Queensland’s Magistrates Courts, p1.