Magistrates Court of Queensland Annual Report for 2014-2015
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Magistrates Courts of Queensland Annual report 2014 – 2015 Brisbane Magistrates Court 363 George Street Brisbane PO Box 1649 Brisbane QLD 4001 CHAMBERS OF THE CHIEF MAGISTRATE PH +61 7 3247 4565 FX +61 7 3220 0088 www.courts.qld.gov.au 11 September 2015 Her Honour Yvette D’Ath MP Attorney - General and Minister for Justice Minister for Training and Skills GPO Box 149 BRISBANE QLD 4000 Dear Attorney-General, In accordance with section 57A of the Magistrates Courts Act 1921 I enclose the report on the operation of the Magistrates Court for the year ended 30 June 2015. Yours sincerely, Judge Orazio Rinaudo Chief Magistrate Table of contents Chief Magistrate’s Overview ......................................................................................... 4 Executive Director’s overview ...................................................................................... 6 Queensland’s Magistrates .............................................................................................. 9 Structure and operation ............................................................................................ 14 Court Performance ....................................................................................................... 18 Criminal jurisdiction ................................................................................................ 18 Civil jurisdiction ...................................................................................................... 23 Coronial Jurisdiction ................................................................................................ 27 Courts Innovation Program .......................................................................................... 28 Indigenous Justice Programs.................................................................................... 28 Diversion & Referral Services ................................................................................. 30 Departmental Support .................................................................................................. 32 Magistrates Courts Service ...................................................................................... 32 Office of the Chief Magistrate ................................................................................. 33 Reform and Support Services .................................................................................. 33 Court Network ............................................................................................................. 36 Complaints Policy ........................................................................................................ 37 Appendices ................................................................................................................... 38 Appendix 1 – Criminal lodgements ..................................................................... 40 Appendix 1A – Criminal breach lodgements (not reported in RoGS)................. 44 Appendix 2 – Civil claim lodgements ................................................................. 48 Appendix 3 – Domestic and Family Violence Protection Applications .............. 50 Appendix 4 – Child protection applications ........................................................ 54 Appendix 5 – Magistrates Courts locations and circuits ..................................... 58 Warning Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are warned that this document contains the names of deceased persons. Due care has been taken to ensure that the names have been used with the appropriate consent. Chief Magistrate’s Overview It is my pleasure to present the Magistrates Court of Queensland Annual Report for 2014-2015. Magistrates and court staff continue to work hard to deliver justice to the people of Queensland in an efficient and accessible way. My thanks go to all magistrates and court staff for their hard work over the past year. Court performance In the 2014-15 year, Magistrates have continued to manage a heavy workload. In particular, lodgements in the domestic violence jurisdiction increased by 1,481 applications (+5.86 per cent) from the previous year. Although criminal defendants increased marginally (+.26 per cent), charge lodgements increased by 8,350 (+2.11 per cent). Child Protection application lodgements also increased by 71 applications (+2.03 per cent). Appointments and Retirements During the reporting period there was one notable retirement being the former Chief Magistrate, Judge Tim Carmody as he then was. The Magistrates Court owes Judge Carmody a significant debt of gratitude for leading the Court so capably for a relatively short period of nine months. There was one other retirement, Magistrate Laurie Verra on the 11th of July 2014, after 15 years of service as a Magistrate. There were three magistrate appointments; Magistrate Peter Hasted, Magistrate Cathy Ann McLennan and Magistrate Jeffrey Clarke. Office of the State Coroner The Coroner’s office continues to perform well, again in an environment of increased workloads. I thank the Magistrates and all of the staff of the Coroner’s office for their significant contribution and in particular the State Coroner, Terry Ryan and Deputy State Coroner, John Lock for their leadership and support over the last twelve months. Acknowledgements I especially wish to thank all magistrates, judicial registrars and court staff for their dedicated and hard work during the past year. In particular I would like to thank the following: Deputy Chief Magistrate Leanne O’Shea and Deputy Chief Magistrate Terry Gardiner for their steadfast advice and endeavour which has been of great benefit to me in my new role; The regional coordinating magistrates and coordinating magistrates whose contribution has made the efficient running of a large and decentralised court possible; Paul Marschke, Executive Director, for his extensive knowledge and experience in managing the Magistrates Courts Service and his dependable support of the Magistracy; 4 Maryanne May, Principal Legal Officer, and Danielle Palmer, Legal Officer for their assistance to the Magistrates and myself throughout the year; and Kate Cranitch for managing the Office of the Chief Magistrate up until early in 2015 and since then Nicola Azgin, and all of the staff of the Office of the Chief Magistrate including my Executive Assistants, Rachel Monaghan and Joanne Vogel. Judge Orazio Rinaudo Chief Magistrate 5 Executive Director’s overview The Magistrates Courts Service (MCS) comprises a number of specialist units working together to support and meet the operational needs and performance of Queensland’s Magistrates Courts. In administering the Queensland Magistrates Courts offices, the MCS Directorate units include: Magistrates Courts Service Directorate Brisbane Magistrates Court Registry Operations Office of the State Coroner (OSC) Courts Innovation Programs (CIP) Judicial Support (Office of the Chief Magistrate) Each unit has specific responsibilities in supporting the 79 permanently staffed registry locations across Queensland, with 23 of these registries during 2014-15 also being Queensland Government Agency Program (QGAP) offices. Magistrates are permanently located in 32 of these locations and circuit to approximately 80 locations to conduct court, accompanied by court registry staff who undertake operational responsibilities. Highlights Queensland’s first two One-Stop Shop Service Outlet Pilot Customer Centres opened in January 2015. Residents of the Scenic Rim can now perform a majority of State Government transactions at the Beaudesert Customer Centre, and whilst DJAG continues to operate a separate courthouse in Beaudesert, registry staff are assisting in the coordination of volunteer Justice of the Peace services at the new Customer Centre. The Department of Justice and Attorney-General (DJAG) is lead agent of the Gatton Customer Centre, where a team of DJAG and Department of Transport and Main Roads (DTMR) staff are delivering services in a service outlet with an integrated courtroom, magistrate’s chamber and vulnerable witness facilities. The new Customer Centre offers Lockyer Valley residents the full suite of DTMR licensing and registration services, birth, death and marriage certificates, plant and animal permits, court registry services, fines and tax payments as well as federal government Medicare and Centrelink services. The Integrated Criminal Justice Videoconferencing Program continued through 2014-15 to expand the use of videoconferencing across the criminal justice system, to reduce the costs and risks of prisoner transports. Videoconferencing is now the primary method of appearance for court matters for defendants in correctional centres with around 70 per cent of such appearances now being by videoconferencing. The pilot of the early plead guilty online service was launched on 1 July 2014 for 16 courthouses in Southeast Queensland, for four minor offences. On 12 March 2015, this online service was rolled out across Queensland and expanded to include all non-indictable offences. Customer uptake of the early plead guilty online service was high during 2014-15, with approximately 36 6 per cent of guilty pleas in writing being submitted online, as opposed to being submitted via hard copy over the counter. Several advancements including the development of an online search and copy process in Brisbane Magistrates Court (with an online payment facility) means customers can request, pay for orders and receive fulfilment online;