Koori Court
Encyclopedia
A Koori Court is a division of the Magistrate's court
in Victoria, Australia
, that sentences Indigenous Australians who pleaded guilty. Koori Courts were created in order to allow participation of the Aboriginal community and culture in the legal system, in an attempt to bridge the cultural differences between Indigenous Australians and the imposed colonial law. They began operation in 2002, and are held on a designated day in an ordinary courthouse. The laws administered are exactly the same as in any Australian courthouse, but the format of the hearing is different.
In Koori Court, the judge sits at a table with the defendant, and legalese is not allowed. The defendant may have members of their family sit with them and participate in the proceedings. Prosecutor
s have personal conversations with the defendant about their circumstances, in order to arrive at the most suitable and culturally appropriate sentence. An elder from the community is present to advise the Magistrate on the sentence.
The Koori Courts have been successful in not only reducing recidivism but also in strengthening the role of community elders and family structures.
Koori Courts in Victoria
are located in Bairnsdale, Broadmeadows, LaTrobe Valley, Mildura, Shepparton and Warrnambool. There are also two Koori Children's Courts, one in Melbourne and one in Mildura.
The Koori Courts are an initiative of the Victorian Aboriginal Justice Agreement, a joint partnership strategy between the Victorian Government and the Victorian Koori Community developed to reduce Indigenous over-representation in the criminal justice system and to improve justice outcomes for the Koori Community.
Court
A court is a form of tribunal, often a governmental institution, with the authority to adjudicate legal disputes between parties and carry out the administration of justice in civil, criminal, and administrative matters in accordance with the rule of law...
in Victoria, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, that sentences Indigenous Australians who pleaded guilty. Koori Courts were created in order to allow participation of the Aboriginal community and culture in the legal system, in an attempt to bridge the cultural differences between Indigenous Australians and the imposed colonial law. They began operation in 2002, and are held on a designated day in an ordinary courthouse. The laws administered are exactly the same as in any Australian courthouse, but the format of the hearing is different.
In Koori Court, the judge sits at a table with the defendant, and legalese is not allowed. The defendant may have members of their family sit with them and participate in the proceedings. Prosecutor
Prosecutor
The prosecutor is the chief legal representative of the prosecution in countries with either the common law adversarial system, or the civil law inquisitorial system...
s have personal conversations with the defendant about their circumstances, in order to arrive at the most suitable and culturally appropriate sentence. An elder from the community is present to advise the Magistrate on the sentence.
The Koori Courts have been successful in not only reducing recidivism but also in strengthening the role of community elders and family structures.
Koori Courts in Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
are located in Bairnsdale, Broadmeadows, LaTrobe Valley, Mildura, Shepparton and Warrnambool. There are also two Koori Children's Courts, one in Melbourne and one in Mildura.
The Koori Courts are an initiative of the Victorian Aboriginal Justice Agreement, a joint partnership strategy between the Victorian Government and the Victorian Koori Community developed to reduce Indigenous over-representation in the criminal justice system and to improve justice outcomes for the Koori Community.