Learn about the Children's Court process in Victoria, including police interviews, bail, diversion, court hearings and sentencing for young people.

What happens at a plea hearing in Victoria? Learn about guilty pleas, sentencing submissions, victim impact statements, sentence indications and possible sentencing outcomes. 

Serious indictable matters in Victoria may proceed through committal proceedings before reaching the County Court or Supreme Court. Learn about filing hearings, hand-up briefs, committal mentions, contested committals and the role of a criminal defence lawyer. 

The criminal court process in Victoria can involve several stages, from a first court appearance and mention hearings through to a plea, contested hearing or trial, sentencing and appeals. 

Learn how criminal appeals work in Victoria, including conviction appeals, sentence appeals, time limits, appeal grounds and the courts involved.

Mandatory minimum sentences require courts to impose a set minimum penalty regardless of circumstances. This article explains how they operate in Australia, their impact on judicial discretion, and the High Court’s approach in Hurt v The King.