THE COURT SYSTEM:
THE COURT STRUCTURE: HIERACHY
Roles of Local Courts:
Local courts are small in scale and involve less officials and legal
personnel.
1. Scroll down to the section “Jurisdictions and division of the local
court:”
 Explain the roles of the local court
 BRIEFLY outline the other areas local courts deal in
Local Courts: Family Matters:
2. BRIEFLY outline the role of the local court in family matters. Where are
most family matters dealt with?
3. Click on apprehended violence order and explain what they are and when
they would be used.
Local Courts: money issues
4. BRIEFLY outline the money matters the local court will deal with. What is
the specialist court that deals with some money matters?
Roles of the District Court
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5. List all the different types of cases heard in the district court.
6. Explain the court processes that take place in the following areas:
 Criminal trial case
 Sentence hearing (What types of punishments are involved at a District
Court?)
 Appeal hearing
Follow the headings to the links
Roles of the Supreme Court:
7. List and outline the following areas of the NSW Supreme Court:
 Court of appeal
 Court of criminal appeal
 Criminal matters
 Civil matters
The outfit for a NSW Supreme Court judge
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Roles of the High Court:
The High Court of Australia is in Canberra and is the most powerful
court in the land.
8. List and explain the types of cases the High Court hears.
9. How are decisions made and reported in the High Court?
Operation of the court (use this section)
TEXTBOOK:
1. Copy ALL the terms from the glossary on page 79.
2. Explain the following concepts:
 The court hierarchy
 Why we have different levels of courts?
 The difference between a judge and a magistrate
Example:
Court the case is heard in and why.
A murder trial
An appeal from the
NSW Supreme court
A hearing for a minor
traffic offence
An investigation into a
suspicious death
An armed robbery trial
The preliminary
hearing of a rape case
A civil dispute between
business partners
involving $100million
A case dealing with an
aspect of the
Australian Constitution
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THE LEGAL SYSTEM: pages 76-77
Fill in the information in the spaces below from pages 76-77.
1. Politicians make laws:
2. Police enforce laws:
3. Courts interpret laws:
4. Legal advisers specialise in the law:
5. Law breakers are punished by court:
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