Judicial Commission of New South Wales

03/11/2024 | News release | Distributed by Public on 03/10/2024 16:45

Local Court Bench Book Update 151 published

Update 151 amends the Bench Book to update and revise various chapters, and incorporate recent case law and legislative developments. The following chapters have been revised:

Specific penalties and orders has been updated as follows: the maximum fine for a Table 2 offence listed in the SPO chapter, not specified in s 268(2) of the Criminal Procedure Act 1986, has been amended to 50 penalty units following the insertion of s 268(2)(h) by the Crime and Criminal Procedure Legislation Amendment Act 2024.

Sexual offences

  • [5-000] Directions updated to include further cross-references to Criminal Trial Courts Bench Book.

Domestic violence offences

  • New Chapter Domestic violence offences at [5-500]ff added. This Chapter includes commentary on the new offence of abusive behaviour towards intimate partners created by the Crimes Legislation Amendment (Coercive Control) Act 2022 (commencing between 1 February 2024 and 1 July 2024) and cross-references to other relevant resources.

Interpreters

  • [14-180] Guidelines for magistrates/judges on working with interpreters in court revised and updated.

Apprehended violence orders

  • [22-060] Interim and provisional orders updated to incorporate amendments made by Crime and Criminal Procedure Legislation Amendment Act 2024 to ss 29 and 32 of the Crimes (Domestic and Personal Violence) Act 2007.

The Index, Table of Cases and Table of Statutes have been updated to Update 151.