The Criminal Bar Association is concerned by the decision of the Victorian Government not to implement proposed bail reforms for children. The changes previously proposed were intended to make bail laws fairer for children who are accused of committing criminal offences. In addition to failing to introduce previously forecast reforms, the government has now announced ...

The County Court of Victoria’s main entrance at 250 William St, Melbourne will be closed from 3-15 January 2024 for important repairs. To enter the Court to the front lobby area, please use the alternative entrance located on Lonsdale Street, next to the Court’s carpark.  Please use the escalator to access the courtrooms on levels 1 and 2. To ...

CBA Members Update Following our recent AGM, the new CBA Committee for 2024 is constituted by: Sally Flynn KC – Chair Jason Gullaci SC – Vice Chair Abbie Roodenburg – Secretary Morgan Brown – Treasurer Sharon Lacy SC Paul Smallwood Amanda Burnard Felicity Fox Amit Malik Alexander Patton Zubin Menon Jo Swiney  Christopher Wareham Jim Shaw  ...

The Victorian Criminal Bar Association supports the proposal to amend the Australian Constitution to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders as the First Peoples of Australia by the establishment of the Voice. As the Uluru Statement from the Heart recognised: Proportionally, we are the most incarcerated people on the planet. We are not an innately ...

Sir David Carruthers, the Implementation Monitor of the Police Informants Royal Commission, has requested the Criminal Bar’s participation in a process about to commence to review the implementation of recommendations relating to disclosure by the Royal Commission into the Management of Police Informants. The review will use a case study approach that focuses on the ...

The Courts of the Future Network in conjunction with Monash University Law Faculty & the Victorian Juries Commissioner’s Office will be hosting a conference on Friday 9 June 2023 at Monash Law Chambers (Melbourne CBD). The theme for the conference is ‘EMERGING CHALLENGES IN THE MANAGEMENT OF SEXUAL ASSAULT TRIALS.’ The following information has been provided: Recent ...

Michael Stanton has authored a paper, “Instruments of Injustice: The Emergence of Mandatory Sentencing in Victoria”, which has been recently published in the Monash University Law Review. The paper is available here: https://bridges.monash.edu/articles/journal_contribution/Instruments_of_Injustice_The_Emergence_of_Mandatory_Sentencing_in_Victoria/22121348/2.

ALSWA has a vacancy for a criminal lawyer in its Kalgoorlie office. The position will involve daily appearance work in the Magistrates and Children’s Court in relation to contests, pleas and bail applications. There is also scope to appear in the District Court in relation to pleas and trial work.  The office services one of ...

Victoria Legal Aid has provided the following information: VLA Chambers is recruiting! We are recruiting a new Senior Public Defender to replace wonderful Zoe Broughton, who is returning to the Bar after 8 years of excellent service. This is an ongoing role for an experienced and highly skilled criminal trial and/or appellate advocate. There are ...

The new CBA committee is looking forward to the challenges ahead. We seek the feedback of criminal law barristers as to the issues they confront and we will aim to address these and continue to try and ensure the criminal justice system is as fair and efficient as it can be. There will be many ...