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With a cramped time frame, she did in 3 days what another firm dilly-dallied for 7 months. Lisa kept me informed. Helena made me feel comfortable in a sticky situation.

- Client

I will definitely be using your company in the future if needed. Lisa kept me at ease also there were no grey areas with great advice. Helana is a great front of house.

- Client

My legal matter concerning an application for a Domestic Violence Order was managed by Mr Thomas Allen. I am grateful for the outcome he obtained. Without Mr Allen and his ongoing support, I would be certain of a different result. It has been an extremely stressful period. Mr Allen’s astute ability to liaise on my behalf and his expertise was invaluable and for which I am grateful as I am now able to move forward. Thanking you

- Client

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Armstrong Legal and specifically Mr Thomas Allen for representing me in my recent case. At the outset, I would like to thank Mr Allen for the very professional delivery of his legal service. From the first time that I met Mr Allen, I was very impressed with his demeanour and delivery as he made me feel at ease knowing the severity of my case. Mr Allen not only gave me the possible positive outcomes of the case but also the realisation of the worst-case scenario as far as sentencing goes. … I will certainly be recommending Armstrong Legal to any of my friends or family needing representation in criminal matters. Thank you so very much.

- Client

Thank you for your representation and help. Fingers crossed for the next step and parole. I just want to say that from the first phone call to your office, your service has been outstanding and have put my mind at ease. I am glad I picked your number to ring.

- Client

Thank you Armstrong Legal, the lawyers that have helped over the past 3 years but more importantly, thank you to Thomas Allen for the major part you and Mr Buckland played. Cannot thank you enough. Cheers.

- Client

Hi all. I would like to thank Ms Lisa Riley for all her help with my legal issues this past month. It was the most harrowing experience of my life and thanks to her expertise, professionalism and knowledge of the law, I came out almost unscathed. I have no hesitation in recommending Lisa Riley and Armstrong Legal if you need help. The service is amazing and the cost was very minimal for the great outcome. Thank you Lisa for helping me in the most difficult time.

- Client

I just want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. My whole life I was thrown away, you made me feel like I did mean something. I could not have asked for a better lawyer. Your compassion and love for your job is inspiring. Your upfront and honesty were muchly appreciated, you are a beautiful person. Thank you for not giving up on me and thank you for all the work you put in. I wish you all the best for the future and I will be recommending you to everyone I know. You're amazing!!!!

- Client

I just wanted to thank you for representing me on Monday, I was overjoyed & relieved with the outcome. I don’t think it could have gone any better. All the best, I hope you got to celebrate this one instead after work, you forever made a difference in my life.

I know I thanked you before we parted company but please allow me to reiterate in writing my sincere deepest thanks for defending me in court today. … Armstrong Legal certainly has a great Lawyer you are a credit to the company and I'm quite sure you will secure a very successful future! … My Kindest Regards and Thanks

- Client

Throughout Angela has been the consummate professional. She maintained a calm, yet strong demeanour remained informative and completely open in her communication and took complete ownership of the situation. We felt confident we finally had an advocate to steer us out of the nightmare we were in, and she did so with great respect and sincerity. I cannot speak more highly of Angela. She has literally rescued our family from what looked very much like a hopeless future.

- Client

Words can’t describe how grateful I am to Trudie Cameron being my solicitor and to Andrew Tiedt presenting my case in the court. They both have been very supportive and amazingly professional and effective. I’ve got an absolutely fantastic outcome I couldn’t even dream about.

- Client

Soon after meeting Andrew I knew he was the solicitor I wanted to handle my matter. He immediately sprang into action which brought me stability and hope during a tumultuous time in my life. Andrew was never afraid to give me straight answers to my tough questions which is a true mark of integrity. He is clearly at ease in the court environment and I believe his calm and measured demeanour went a long way to helping me secure the best result from my day in court. I would certainly recommend you approach Andrew if you need assistance.

- Client

"Andrew Tiedt was very professional and considerate to personal circumstances and gave sound advice that resulted in the best outcome possible. Highly recommended."

This article was written by Fernanda Dahlstrom - Content Editor - Brisbane

Fernanda Dahlstrom has a Bachelor of Laws, a Bachelor of Arts and a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice. She has also completed a Master’s in Writing and Literature. Fernanda practised law for eight years, working in criminal defence, child protection and domestic violence law in the Northern Territory and in family law in Queensland.

Koori Court

In Victoria, the Koori court is a separate division of the Magistrates Court, County Court and Children’s Court, which exists to provide more inclusive and culturally appropriate sentencing outcomes to Aboriginal defendants. Koori Court hearings involve Koori Elders, Respected Persons, the Court Officer and the defendants’ families. The court seeks to impose orders that are culturally appropriate and to help the indigenous defendants to address the causes of their offending. The Koori Court was established as a division of the Magistrates Court in 1989. A Koori division of the Children’s Court was established in 2005 and of the Country Court in 2008.

Who can use the Koori Court?

The Koori Court is for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander defendants in criminal matters who plead guilty. For it to deal with a matter, the offender must:

have shown they are willing to take responsibility for their offending;
live within, or have been charged with offences within, its geographical boundary area; and
consent to being dealt with by the Koori Court.

The Koori Court does not deal with family violence or sexual offences.

How is the Koori Court different?

Magistrates and judges who decide matters in the Koori Court act on the advice of Aboriginal Elders and Respected Persons on cultural issues relating to the offender and the offending. The inclusion of these voices is intended to send a clear message to the defendant that the Koori community, as well as the mainstream community, disapproves of their actions. The Elders and Respected Persons can also explain kinship relationships and other cultural issues to the court and provide insight on how particular kinds of offending have affected the Aboriginal community.

As in the mainstream court, the ultimate decision about the sentence rests with the magistrate or judge.

The Koori Court is less formal than other courts. The proceedings are conducted in plain English and the defendant is allowed to speak for themself. The court aims to make it easier for Koori defendants to engage in a meaningful way with the system and to reduce their offending behaviour.

What sentencing options are available?

The Koori Court retains all the sentencing options available to conventional court hearings, including sending the offender to prison. Its goal is to structure sentences that are more culturally appropriate to Aboriginal offenders and in so doing reduce their chance of re-offending and increase their positive engagement in the justice system.

The Children’s Court

The Koori division of the Children’s Court has succeeded in engaging Koori youth who have limited support and are disconnected from their community. The involvement of Aboriginal Elders in the court has been reported to make young Koori people and their families feel more comfortable talking about issues that they ordinarily would not.

The Children’s Koori Court aims to reduce the over-representation of Koori youth in the Victorian juvenile justice system and increase Aboriginal ownership of the administration of justice.

A 2010 study found that its hearings:

involved more engagement between the young person and the decision-maker than other hearings;
were very supportive of the young person and validated them (but not their offending);
explained the sentence clearly to the young person;
were less formal than mainstream Children’s Court hearings.

However it was not possible to evaluate how successful the court has been in reducing recidivism given its relative newness and the small proportion of young offenders it deals with.

If you require legal advice or representation in a criminal matter or in any other legal matter, please contact Armstrong Legal.

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