The Court of Appeal will hear a criminal appeal in Monash University’s new state-of-the-art moot court.
COURT OF APPEAL SITTING AT MONASH UNIVERSITY
Media Release
Thursday, 17 October 2019
The Court of Appeal is heading back to university next week, hearing a criminal appeal in Monash University’s new state-of-the-art moot court.
The Court of Appeal is the State’s highest court and hears appeals from the Supreme Court, County Court, Magistrates’ Court and from VCAT.
While the Court has a long history of sitting in regional centres, this will be the first time it has sat at a university.
Monash University’s law faculty in Clayton will play host to Court of Appeal President Justice Chris Maxwell, Justice Pamela Tate and Justice Mark Weinberg who will hear an appeal arising from a jury trial in the County Court. The appeal has been brought by the offender against his conviction and sentence for drug-related offences. While lawyers for both parties and the judges will be in Clayton, the offender will appear via video link.
The University’s recently constructed $4 million moot court is the only facility of its kind in an Australian university. It is designed to reflect a real court environment and is used to train and educate all litigation technology users including court officers, lawyers and judicial officers.
Justice Maxwell said taking the Court outside of Melbourne’s CBD gave more people an opportunity to see how appeal hearings were conducted.
“The role of the Court of Appeal is to ensure that no person is convicted, and no sentence is imposed, unless the basic requirements of law and fairness have been observed. That is the hallmark of the rule of law and what the Court hopes to demonstrate when it sits out in the community,” Justice Maxwell said.
“By sitting at Monash University, the Court will also be able to show the law in action to the next generation of litigators.”
During the visit, the Court of Appeal members will also take the opportunity to meet with Monash University students.
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Supreme Court Media Contact:
Andre Awadalla
Media Coordinator
zrqvn@fhcpbheg.ivp.tbi.nhua.vog.civ.truocpus@aidem
0418 201 296