Articles

Verbal assault is a commonly heard but very misunderstood phrase. In New South Wales you can be convicted of common assault even if no physical contact takes place. There are also a number of other Acts of Parliament which create offences for what is often called a verbal assault. What exactly is an assault? Most […]

In Australian law a drone is referred to as a “remotely piloted aircraft” or RPA for short. The “Civil Aviation Safety Authority” or CASA who are responsible for regulating the use of drones. Australia has strict laws surrounding the use of drones. This is particularly the case near public places and airports. Breaches of the […]

In August 2019 social media was a-buzz after Victorian Police posted on Facebook pointing out it was illegal to pay using a mobile phone in a drive-thru. The story was picked up by media outlets and is being widely reported on. At the time it was a surprise to most people that using your phone […]

In NSW unrestricted licence holders have a limit of 13 demerit points. If you incur 13 or more demerit points in any 3-year period, the RMS will send you a notice of suspension. Instead of serving a period of suspension, you can apply for a good behaviour licence under section 36 of the Road Transport […]

“Appealing an infringement” is one of the most inaccurate and misleading terms heard by police and traffic lawyers. Irate drivers often yell at police “I’m going to appeal this fine!” just as often as traffic lawyers take calls from those who “want to appeal a ticket”. Unfortunately, it is not an appeal. There are a […]

When charging people with a criminal matter police often hand out an additional yellow slip of paper. That innocent looking pice of paper is a ‘written notice of pleading’ and can cause a lot of problems if you fill it in. Where do I get a Written Notice of Pleading At the time of handing […]

Can I get a work or restricted licence in NSW? Restricted work licences are available in some states of Australia. If you lose your licence you can apply to the court for a work licence or restricted licence. This is commonly referred to as an extraordinary licence, or a hardship licence. These schemes have been […]

Pitch Invasion v Streaking When someone talks about pitch invasion most people think about streakers. Those that have got their kit off and ran naked onto the field. Wati Holmwood famously streaked across the field at the State of Origin in 2011 and again in 2013. He was fined and sentenced to a term of […]

As of 25 January 2019 NSW Police now have the power and discretion to issue penalty notices for people who are caught in possession of a small quantity of prohibited drugs. Previously the only way to avoid court if you were found in possession of prohibited drugs was under the cannabis cautioning scheme. Even then […]

On Friday night NSW Police Traffic and Highway Patrol Command reported that they had charged a male with wilfully altering his alcohol reading. The young male was stopped by Police and subjected to a breath test. This returned a reading over ten times the legal limit. After noticing that the young man was not exhibiting any […]