The legal and court system
Our court system
In Australia, there are federal as well as state and territory courts. The state courts hear most matters, while the federal courts hear matters that are not covered by state law. In Queensland, the courts are:
These courts hear both civil and criminal cases. The Queensland Courts website explains the roles and responsibilities of these courts.
Jury duty
Potential jurors are randomly selected from the Queensland electoral roll. If chosen, you will be sent a questionnaire to complete. If you want to be excused from jury duty, you must meet strict criteria such as a medical reason, family commitments or financial hardship. You can provide your reason for being excused on the questionnaire.
If not excused, you may be sent a letter advising you when to attend court. When you attend court, you may be selected onto a jury panel and will need to attend court until the trial is completed. If you are not chosen onto the jury panel you can return to work.
The Queensland Courts website explains how jurors are selected and what is expected of Supreme and District court jurors. If you're called up for jury duty and have concerns about your needs (e.g. access to toilets, difficulty viewing or hearing proceedings), contact the court.
Going to court
If you have a disability and need to go to court (as a defendant/plaintiff, victim of crime, witness or juror), advise court staff beforehand to ensure you receive any support that is required, such as:
- More breaks throughout the day
- Allocation of a courtroom closer to disabled toilet facilities
- Documents in braille or large text
- Captioning of taped evidence.
If you are a witness in a proceeding, the court may also need to consider whether you should be declared a special witness. This includes a person whose intellectual, physical or psychiatric disability in the court's opinion, would be a disadvantage as a witness—or who may be intimidated or emotionally traumatised in the process. If you are a special witness, special measures may be taken, such as allowing a support person to be on hand or evidence to be given in another room.
The Department of Justice details how witnesses and defendants can prepare for court and what to expect within the courtroom.
Support for court appearances
Court Network is a free, non-legal court support service operating in Brisbane, Townsville and Cairns and offers:
- practical support (e.g. attending court with you on the day)
- information about how courts work and what to expect
- pre-court tours to familiarise yourself with the court before an appearance
- referral to community services that may be helpful.
Salvation Army court chaplains are found in courts throughout Queensland, providing support and friendship to victims of crime, witnesses, offenders, and their families during a legal proceeding.
More information
Visit Queensland Courts or Department of Justice for more information on our legal and courts system.
