Magistrates Court of the Australian Capital Territory
Encyclopedia
The Magistrates Court of the Australian Capital Territory
Australian Capital Territory
The Australian Capital Territory, often abbreviated ACT, is the capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and is the smallest self-governing internal territory...

is a court of summary jurisdiction in Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...

, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

. The court deals with the majority of less serious criminal cases and the majority of small civil cases in that territory. The court is located on London Circuit, Canberra
London Circuit, Canberra
London Circuit is a road in Canberra, Australia, which surrounds City Hill in Civic, the city centre. It has a hexagonal shape, and intersects with several main roads such as Northbourne Avenue , Edinburgh Avenue , Akuna Street , Constitution Avenue and Commonwealth Avenue .Several important...

 at Civic. It is a relatively new building, having previously occupied the older building next door to it which is now occupied by the Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory
Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory
The Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory is the superior court for the ACT. It has unlimited jurisdiction within the territory in civil matters , and hears the most serious criminal matters...

.

The current Chief Magistrate is John Burns, who was appointed to the position in December 2009. Burns replaced departing Chief Magistrate Ron Cahill, whose appointment came to an end on 10 November 2009, with the position filled in the interregnum by Magistrate Peter Dingwall.

Jurisdiction

The jurisdiction of the ACT Magistrates Court encompasses the entirety of the Australian Capital Territory
Australian Capital Territory
The Australian Capital Territory, often abbreviated ACT, is the capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and is the smallest self-governing internal territory...

 and the Jervis Bay Territory
Jervis Bay Territory
The Jervis Bay Territory is a territory of the Commonwealth of Australia. It was surrendered by the state of New South Wales to the Commonwealth Government in 1915 so that the Federal capital at Canberra would have "access to the sea"....

. Under the Jervis Bay Acceptance Act 1915 (Cth), the laws of the Australian Capital Territory apply in that particular area. Magistrates from the ACT travel to Jervis Bay on a regular basis to hold court for the region.

The ACT Magistrates Court is established under, and has jurisdiction under, the "Magistrates Court Act" 1930 (ACT).. It has a summary jurisdiction to deal with most criminal offences other than serious criminal matters such as murder and sexual assaults.

It also has jurisdiction to hear civil cases that are between $10,000 and $50,000 in value, although it cannot hear cases in which the title to land is in dispute. Any amount in dispute under $10,000 is dealt with by the ACT Civil & Administrative Tribunal.

Magistrates are also justices of the peace by virtue of their appointment as a magistrate.

Composition

The court is constituted by either magistrates or special magistrates. Generally, magistrates sit alone. Two or more special magistrates can also constitute the court.

Magistrates and special magistrates are appointed by the executive. Magistrates must retire at 60 years of age, whilst special magistrates must retire at 70 years of age.

The executive must also appoint a Chief Magistrate. The chief magistrate is responsible for
the prompt discharge of the court’s business, and may in consultation with a magistrate, decide the types of cases which a magistrate will hear.

Commencing cases

Criminal cases are usually commenced by laying an information before a magistrate. An information is similar to a complaint or a charge. The magistrate may then either issue a summons for the defendant to attend court voluntarily or may issue a warrant for his or her arrest.

In serious cases, police officers may arrest a person and bring them directly before the magistrate. In any case, the person may be remanded in custody or may be released on bail
Bail
Traditionally, bail is some form of property deposited or pledged to a court to persuade it to release a suspect from jail, on the understanding that the suspect will return for trial or forfeit the bail...

.

Depending on the seriousness of the crime, the magistrate may sentence the person if found guilty, or may commit the person for trial to the Supreme Court.

Hearings are heard in open court unless there is a law or a good reason for the matter to be heard in closed court.

Appeals

In certain circumstances, a party unhappy with a decision may appeal to the Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory
Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory
The Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory is the superior court for the ACT. It has unlimited jurisdiction within the territory in civil matters , and hears the most serious criminal matters...

.
The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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