Criminal law duty lawyer program
Legal Aid Queensland is dedicated to providing quality representation to our clients, and quality assistance to our courts. Duty lawyer services are based in Queensland’s magistrates and childrens courts and play a crucial role in our juvenile and adult justice systems. Duty lawyer services are provided by our in-house lawyers and authorised private lawyers who deliver services under roster or tender arrangements.
Legal Aid Queensland’s duty lawyer services offer free, initial legal advice and representation to people charged with criminal and some traffic offences, who are on bail or in custody in Queensland. Duty lawyers can enter guilty pleas, make bail applications or request remands for clients.
Following the introduction of the Civil and Criminal Jurisdiction Reform and Modernisation Amendment Bill 2010, Legal Aid Queensland has been actively engaged in the implementation of the Moynihan reforms to the magistrates court criminal process. As a result of these reforms we have increased our level of duty lawyer representation in the courts because of the new callovers. Legal Aid now provides duty lawyer services in all new callover courts each week, as well as in all arrest, custody, and breach courts. We have engaged in duty lawyer specific advocacy training for our officers, and have received positive feedback from courts and prosecutions in various jurisdictions since the commencement of the new magistrates court criminal process.
In line with the reforms, Legal Aid Queensland is committed to case conferencing matters with the prosecution to ensure our clients have their legal issues resolved as soon as possible. This can have significant sentencing benefits for clients and can also result in savings to the criminal justice system by avoiding unnecessary court time. It also means witnesses and victims do not have to go through the stress of attending court.
Family law duty lawyer program
Our Family Law Duty Lawyer Service provides assistance to self represented litigants in the Family Court of Australia and the Federal Magistrates Court throughout Queensland for family law matters. We provided services in Brisbane, Townsville, Cairns, Mackay, Bundaberg, Rockhampton, Maroochydore, Toowoomba, Southport, Hervey Bay and Ipswich.
Legal Aid Queensland family law duty lawyer services increased by 11.1% in 2010-11.
We provide information, legal advice, referrals and representation. We also help people complete forms and documents, negotiate and settle consent orders and seek adjournments. We help people complete applications for legal aid or access our review process if they have previously been unsuccessful with applications for aid.