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STANDARDS
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BENCHMARKS
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Physical
access to court services
Services convenient to court users
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| 1.1 |
The public and all court users have access to the court and
its services when they need them, including:
-
court rooms registry
- public
waiting areas
- conference
rooms
- victims'
rooms
- witness
rooms
- toilets.
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|
| 1.1.1 |
The
doors to public waiting areas, conference rooms, victims'
rooms and toilets are open [at 9am] [to allow access as people
arrive].
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|
| 1.1.2 |
Access
to the court and its services is provided for people with
disabilities.
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|
| 1.1.3
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The
court room doors are open in time to enable participants and
observers to be seated and ready before proceedings commence.
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|
| 1.1.4 |
The
court room doors are closed when proceedings are in camera.
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| 1.1.5 |
The
doors to the Registry and Chamber Magistrate's waiting areas
are open [when service is being provided] and [when the court
is sitting].
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| 1.1.6 |
Public
facilities are clean and comfortable and have sufficient seating.
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Facilities
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| 1.2 |
The court room has facilities ensuring participation and observation. |
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| 1.2.1 |
Seating is provided for observers, professional court users,
defendants, other litigants and local media.
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| 1.2.2 |
The bar table is of sufficient size. Use of a table is provided
for unrepresented defendants and litigants.
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| 1.2.3 |
The witness box is located so that witnesses face the bench,
the bar table and the dock.
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| 1.2.4 |
Vision in the court room is ensured by sufficient lighting
and elimination of obstacles.
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| 1.2.5 |
Proceedings
can be heard throughout the court room through adequate acoustics
or amplification.
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Security
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| 1.3
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The
court provides a safe environment. |
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| 1.3.1 |
Safety
is ensured for the Magistrates, staff, observers and other
court users by guards with defendants in custody and alarm
systems.
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| 1.3.2 |
Waiting
areas are not visible from the street.
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Daily
checklist
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Local
review
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Central
review
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| 1.3.3 |
The
conference, witnesses' and victims' rooms are private and
have lockable doors.
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|
| 1.3.4 |
Public
areas are in view of staffed areas with access to the alarm
system or covered by closed circuit monitors.
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Remote
access to court services
Services convenient to users
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| 1.4 |
The
court has sufficient facilities and processes to ensure remote
access to its services. |
|
| 1.4.1 |
The court has sufficient telephone lines, facsimile machines,
letter collection and posting facilities.
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Cultural
access to court services
All cultures have access
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| 1.5 |
All people have access to the court regardless of their cultural
background. |
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| 1.5.1 |
All Magistrates and court staff have been trained in issues
affecting clients of non-English speaking backgrounds.
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| 1.5.2 |
All Magistrates and court staff have received training in
Aboriginal society and the history of and origins of social
disadvantage among Aboriginal communities. Aboriginal organisations
are involved in developing these programs.
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| 1.5.3 |
The court has identified and liaises with local ethnic and
Aboriginal organisations, including informal contact with
members of the Aboriginal community.
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| 1.5.4 |
The court has developed service delivery methods to meet the
needs of local Aboriginal and ethnic groups.
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|
| 1.6 |
The court has a recruitment and training program for Aboriginal
staff. |
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| 1.6.1 |
Courts dealing with Aboriginal people on a regular basis have
at least one Aboriginal staff member.
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Communication
Court communicates with users
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| 1.7 |
The court has in place effective means of communicating with
court users. |
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| 1.7.1 |
The roles of the Magistrate, Registrar and court staff are
understood and communicated to court users.
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| 1.7.2 |
The Chief Magistrate has published guidelines for the assessment
of parties' and witnesses' ability to speak and understand
English.
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| 1.7.3 |
Magistrates and court staff assess the need for interpreters,
consistent with any guidelines prepared by the Chief Magistrate,
and ensure that official interpreters are available as required.
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|
| 1.7.4 |
The court has immediate telephone access to official interpreters
and access, in person, to official interpreters within 24
hours.
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| 1.7.5 |
All court staff have acccess to a list of the legal and social
aid agencies in the area.
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| 1.7.6 |
The court, in particular the Chamber Magistrate, liaises with
a wide range of legal and social aid agencies in its area
to provide an integrated community service.
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| 1.7.7 |
The court has identified common inquiries and processes and
has information readily available for court users and staff.
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| 1.7.8 |
The court has a regular procedure and nominated officer responsible
for ensuring that all signs and other displayed public information
are readable, accurate and up to date.
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Geographical
access
Location of Court Houses
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| 1.8 |
Courts administration assesses local area needs for services. |
|
| 1.8.1 |
Needs
for services are measured and tested against State wide standards
and use of existing resources. The following factors are included
when measuring need:
-
population totals, growth and density;
- characteristics
of the area;
- the
necessity and cost of travel for court users;
- new
laws (whether legislation affects some areas more than others);
-
presence of government institutions in locality.
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Daily
checklist
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Local
review
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Peer
review
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Last
Updated 10/02/01 
