SUPER LONG JUSTICE CORONA THREAD: In response to #coronavirusaus Victoria's courts have announced the following this afternoon. Here is a thread with some gifs to help ease you into the changes @abcmelbourne
Starting from next week the Court of Appeal will no longer be conducting in-person hearings. Videolink is the go. Only judges and court staff will be present.
In the Supreme Court's criminal division, trials to mid-May this year will be adjourned until AFTER October 2020 or reassessed closer to the trail date.
Non-jury criminal matters (think pleas, apps, case conferences) will continue if parties are available. If people need to appear in-person, listing times will be "staggered" for social distancing.
In the Supreme Court's Common Law Division, proceedings will go before a judge alone. Trials will be heard using phones and videoconferencing. In saying that judges may require in-person hearings for "essential matters".
When it comes to admission of new lawyers, the court and the admissions board will now admit people "on the papers". Baby lawyers will now swear/affirm their oaths remotely before an "authorised affidavit taker". They'll then submit an affidavit as proof. How perfectly lawyerly.
In the County Court, "suitable" indictable pleas and sentences, and appeals against sentences handed down in the Magistrates' Court will be brought forward.
A rolling special directions list will start on April 1 to manage the future listing of jury trials previously listed that couldn't go ahead.
From next week in County, the court will suspend the hearing of appeals against convictions imposed in the Magistrates' Court, such as those involving multiple witnesses. They'll manage this administratively.
The County's Common Law and Commercial Divisions will hear judge alone matters in the interim.
In the Children's Court, urgent applications like bail will be prioritised. All matters were children are charged on summons will be adjourned for 12 weeks unless the court says otherwise. The Children's Koori Court will also be suspended.
Parties and child protection workers will not be required to attend court in person if their lawyers have instructions and can contact their clients by phone. Children will also be able to appear by video-link.
And priority will be given to family violence applications and child protection cases where a child is placed in out-of-home care. THE END.
