Office Holiday Closure
The Public Defenders office will be closed from 5 pm Tuesday 22 December 2020 and reopen on 11 January 2021.
We wish you all a happy and restful festive season.
For any urgent matters please email Ruth Heazlewood, Chambers Manager at Ruth.Heazlewood@justice.nsw.gov.au
Save the Date - Annual Public Defenders Criminal Law Conference 2021
The conference will be held on Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 March 2021 at UTS Aerial Function Centre. Registrations will open mid-January.
Public Defenders response to COVID-19 crisis
There are two new features on our web site: firstly a one-stop resource page for criminal lawyers and secondly a platform for collecting lawyers’ experiences of what is and is not working, and problems with, the emergency procedures.
Why we are collecting feedback
We are seeking to collect and maintain an objective record of the experiences of criminal lawyers under the temporary emergency procedures to inform the profession, the courts and the government about:
1. how the emergency procedures are, and are not, working during the crisis;
2. how the emergency procedures are impacting upon the rights of accused persons including the right to a fair trial;
3. how any procedures are affecting the safety of lawyers and others employed in the criminal justice system; and
4. how any procedures are affecting the safety of people in custody.
This information will be important to the ongoing management of the crisis and to addressing any proposals to extend any of the emergency measures into ongoing practice after the crisis