CPD by Supreme Court Justice Southwood

CROSS EXAMINATION FOR SELF-REPRESENTED DEFENDANTS –
EXPECTATIONS AND LIMITATIONS OF THE “APPOINTED PERSON”

Tuesday 23 November 2021, 4.30 to 5.30 pm
Supreme Court of the Northern Territory
No registration required

On 11 February 2020 the Evidence and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2020 (the Amendment Act) was passed by the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly, and it commenced on 29 July 2020.

The Amendment Act introduced a new model of cross-examination of vulnerable witnesses by unrepresented defendants in certain proceedings. The model includes the Court deciding whether it is necessary in the interests of justice to nominate an ‘Appointed Person’ to conduct the cross-examination. The appointed person must be a legal practitioner. The Department of the Attorney-General and Justice manages a panel of legal practitioners available to be appointed for this very specific role.

This is a CPD for anyone interested in the ethics, expectations and limitations of this role and ideal for those practitioners who are already on the panel or would like to consider applying to be on the panel of ‘Appointed Persons’. The CPD will aim to clarify the expectations and scope of the role of an ‘Appointed Person’.

(Please note that this is not a Law Society NT CPD).