Who can attend my court hearing?
- In all states except Victoria and the Northern Territory the Children’s Court is a ‘closed court’.
- This means that no one apart from persons directly involved in the matter and the child’s parents or guardian are allowed to attend.
- The rules differ in each state. In Queensland hearings for first-time offenders are closed to the public but hearings for repeat offenders are open to the public. Media can attend the hearings and publish the names of juvenile offenders. This is prohibited in other states and territories.
Read some more FAQS from our Other Criminal Law section