Capturing law and history: One hundred years of Queensland Law Reporting
Published 2007
RRP AUD 35.00
120 pages
ISBN 9780980322026
This history of the Incorporated Council of Law Reporting for the State of Queensland is not about the judgments the Council has reported over the past century, or about the courts in which cases were argued and judgments were delivered. This history is about the Incorporated Council itself: the remarkable people associated with it, whether as members of the Council, or as editors, reporters and secretaries; the way the Council’s publications were produced and the manner in which the Incorporated Council dealt with pressures upon it, and has faced the changes and challenges which have come its way.
Schools
The SCQL offers an educational program for student visitors to the Queensland Courts. Each year, the Library hosts more than 8,500 students at the Brisbane Law Courts and provides tailored programs to suit curricula and learning requirements. Programs can be developed to cater for primary and secondary school groups of up to 50 students.
Depending on the size of your school group, and the amount of time you have available to spend at the Courts, programs can include a legal research seminar, a tour of the Library’s historical displays and exhibitions, and a visit to a live courtroom. Sessions can also be booked for the students to attend an informal information session with a judge.
Further information about these activities is detailed below. Teachers may also wish to view Visiting the Brisbane Law Courts: A Guide for Teachers and a Student's Guide to Court Etiquette before making a booking.
Legal Research
The Library offers introductory legal research seminars for students visiting the Courts. Seminars are designed to introduce students to primary and secondary legal resources and to provide an overview of legal research methodology. Emphasis is placed on using free legal websites to find cases, legislation and other useful material for researching assignments.
Seminars can also be conducted in conjunction with a hands-on workshop, which allows students to research an assignment or study topic using the Library’s extensive collection of legal resources.
Need Help?
Students are encouraged to contact stud...@sclqld.org.au for legal research assistance.
Rare Books Precinct – exhibition gallery
The Rare Books Precinct, on level 2 of the Brisbane Courts complex, is adjacent to the ceremonial Banco Court and has been developed by the Library as a public gallery for exhibitions and legal heritage displays. The area incorporates two permanent exhibits, the Rare Books Room and the replica of the QGSY Lucinda Smoking Room.
Since 2000, the Library has been curating scholarly and topical exhibitions, which are displayed in the Rare Books Precinct as an attraction for students and other visitors to the Courts. These exhibitions are complemented by a series of historical displays, featuring unique items from the Library’s extensive collection of legal heritage material. Amongst these are judicial robes and portraits, a photographic display of the original Brisbane courthouse, and memorabilia relating to prominent Queensland legal personalities.
Courtroom Visit
Almost all Court cases are open to the public and usually start at 10am, with a break in the afternoon from 1.00 – 2.30 pm. The Law List, which is published daily in The Courier-Mail and on the Queensland Courts website, provides information on the cases that will be heard that day. When you arrive at the Court, the Security Officers can provide you with a copy of the List, including details of the court room and, if it is a criminal case, the nature of the offence. It is important that students read and understand the Student's Guide to Court Etiquette before visiting the Courts. The number of student visitors to the Courts each day has been restricted to minimise disruption to proceedings.
Please note that viewing cases may not be suitable for primary school students, due to the nature of criminal proceedings and the fact that it is impossible to know what matters will be heard in the courts on any given day. Bookings can still be made, but please be aware that young students may be distressed by matters they see in court.
Information Session with a Judge
The Library can arrange for students to attend an informal information session with a Judge, subject to availability. These sessions usually last 20 minutes and can only be offered at 9am sharp. It is an excellent opportunity for students to learn about the Queensland Court system and to participate in a question and answer session with a Judge.