The Legal Affairs Committee of the Queensland Parliament this week approved proposed changes to the Justices Act which:
- Inserts an authority to allow Magistrate to order the joinder of trials;
- Allows for admissions of fact in summary trials for simple offences or breaches of duty;
- Allows for Registry Committals for legally represented defendants who are remanded in custody; and
- Enables the defendant to enter a plea in bulk in the Magistrates Court.
These are important and practical changes to the way the Magistrates Court operates on a daily basis throughout Queensland.
In her Introductory Speech, the Attorney-General (Yvette D’ath) noted that these changes reflect practices from the Supreme and District Courts and apply them to the Magistrates Court.’
By Terry O’Gorman
23 February 2017