Everyone knows that if you are found guilty of a crime, you're convicted of the offence. Convictions, unsurprisingly, have serious ramifications and can potentially follow you for the rest of your life, regardless of your court imposed punishment. If a conviction is recorded it can...
Thanks to TV shows and pop culture, many people believe they understand how the criminal justice system works. Police shows, procedural dramas and legal adaptations tend to create a false sense of familiarity with the criminal justice system in the average person. But while loose...
As statistics graphically illustrate, drink driving remains an international problem. According to a World Health Organization (WHO) report, in 2015 more than 50% of all traffic deaths on South African roads were attributed to alcohol consumption. In the same year, drinking and driving also contributed...
Though TV crime dramas like to glorify the loose cannon cop who doesn’t “play by the rules” and will break down a door in a heartbeat, in reality there are protections in place to shield citizens from such reckless behaviour by police. Below, you can...
Many Australians may find themselves dealing with a Court matter at some point in their lives. And many of those people will end up feeling decisions made against them, such as conviction and sentencing, were made in error. Luckily, a fundamental tenet of our legal...
Recent commentary on sentencing principles in Queensland have seen public calls for ‘maximum sentences’ for those convicted of murder or manslaughter where the victim is a child. This reflects a naivety and ignorance of current laws and Queensland sentencing principles. A ‘life’ sentence in Queensland may...