Section Three: The List Court

Introduction

A 'list court' consists of court events that are not trials. List court matters can include first appearances after someone is arrested, appearances to make a plea, appearances to make an application for bail and so on. The Registrar has simply made a 'list' as matters have come to hand, and there may have been arrests overnight as well. You will learn how to make a decision about bail in the next module.

The list court is an administrative sorting process. Some defendants go home until a certain date; some go home with conditions placed on them that the police will monitor;some go to be held in custody until a Judge can see them; and some are making applications to the court or are telling the court something so that it can be entered on to the court record.

The decision about what to do with each defendant is yours as a judicial officer. Nothing can happen until you order it. You will be using your powers of judgement, even in an administrative court.

Reading

• Judicial JP Manual chapter 7