Federal Crime and Related Proceedings
About this NPA
The Federal Crime and Related Proceedings NPA is comprised of the following:
- prosecutions on indictments
- summary prosecutions
- criminal appeals
- bail applications
- various related civil proceedings.
Questions relating to this NPA should be emailed to FederalCourtCrime@fedcourt.gov.au
More about the Court's criminal and related jurisdiction
On 12 June 2024, following Royal Assent of the Attorney-General's Portfolio Miscellaneous Measures Act 2024 (Cth), the Federal Court of Australia's jurisdiction was expanded to hear and determine a wider range of summary and indictable offences within the regulatory remit of the Australian Securities and Investment Commission.
The Federal Court has jurisdiction to hear and determine:
- Prosecutions for indictable offences against provisions in a number of Commonwealth Acts, including: the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth), the Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001 (Cth), the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth), the National Consumer Credit Protection Act 2009 (Cth), the Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993 (Cth) and the Criminal Code (Cth).
In addition, this Court has jurisdiction to hear summary offences considered related to the indictable offences being heard in the Court and to hear indictable offences elected to be dealt with summarily. Indictable offences are tried before a jury and presided over by a Judge. - Prosecutions for summary offences against provisions in a number of Commonwealth Acts, including: the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth), the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth), the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth), the Federal Safety Commissioner Act 2022 (Cth), the Australian Energy Market Act 2004 (Cth) and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001 (Cth). Summary offences are tried before a Judge sitting alone.
- Appeals against indictable judgments, and decisions of summary offence proceedings, and from judgments relating to bail. Leave to appeal is required unless the appeal involves a question of law or is about bail.
- Appeals in criminal cases before the Supreme Court of Norfolk Island.
- Various crime related civil proceedings, including applications under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (Cth) and applications seeking a declaration and punishment for contempt, such as under s 34B of the Australian Crime Commission Act 2002 (Cth).
Allocation of matters in this NPA
The Court has judges experienced in managing crime-related cases, including criminal appeals, and judicial registrars experienced in the practice and procedure of criminal prosecutions to assist the judges with the case management of such matters.
While any crime-related case is likely to be managed by the Court within this NPA, the Court will ensure that the judge allocated to manage the case has expertise in the underlying area of law the subject of the proceeding - for example, competition and consumer law or intellectual property law.
Judgments
- 25 Nov 2024:
Rodgerson v Attorney-General [2024] FCA 1354
ADMINISTRATIVE LAW - application for judicial review of decision to refuse parole - statutory framework concerning parole decisions for federal offenders - whether the applicant was afforded procedural fairness both generally, and specifically - whether there was apprehended bias in the parole decision - no grounds for review made out -…
Judge: Anderson J - 25 Sep 2024:
AZO24 v Commonwealth (Suppression Orders) [2024] FCA 1113
PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE - application for suppression and non-publication orders - where interim suppression orders made earlier in proceeding - whether interim suppression order still in effect PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE - where applicant's originating process and interlocutory application seeking to set aside orders in AZO24 v Commonwealth [2024] FCA …
Judge: Kennett J - 20 Sep 2024:
Gale v Homewood (No 2) [2024] FCA 1165
CRIMINAL LAW - application to confirm interim control order under s 104.14 of the Criminal Code (Cth) (being Sch 1 to the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth) - where respondent consents to orders - whether conditions reasonably appropriate and adapted for the purposes in s 104.4(1)(d)(iii)-(iv) of the Criminal Code (Cth)
Judge: Kennett J
Practice Notes
The Federal Crime and Related Proceedings Practice Note (CRIME-1) issued by the Court on 15 May 2017, sets out the arrangements for the management of proceedings in the Federal Crime and Related Proceedings NPA.
Note: The Federal Crime and Related Proceedings Practice Note (CRIME-1) is currently under review.
Other practice notes which may be relevant to this NPA include:
- Central Practice Note (CPN-1)
- Technology and the Court Practice Note (GPN–TECH)
- Expert Evidence Practice Note (GPN-EXPT)
- Subpoenas and Notices to Produce Practice Note (GPN-SUBP)
- Enforcement, Endorsement and Contempt Practice Note (GPN-ENF)
- Content of Appeal Books and Preparation for Hearing Practice Note (APP 2)
- Lists of Authorities and Citations Practice Note (GPN-AUTH)
Forms & Rules
The Federal Court (Criminal Proceedings) Rules 2016 (Cth) (Criminal Proceedings Rules) commenced on 10 November 2016.
Under the Criminal Proceedings Rules, forms have been approved for use in proceedings in the Federal Crime and Related Proceedings NPA .
Commonly used forms:
- Forms for Access to Court Documents
The Access to court files and transcripts page provides guidance on how to access court documents in a criminal proceeding and the appropriate forms for completion. - Request for leave to issue a subpoena form (docx, 64kb) (see rule 8.01 and 8.04 of the Federal Court (Criminal Proceeding) Rules 2016.
Parties and practitioners should also be familiar, where relevant, with:
- the Federal Court Rules 2011 (Cth); and
- the Federal Court and Federal Circuit and Family Court Regulations 2022 (Cth).
Legislation
- Australian Energy Market Act 2004 (Cth)
- Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001 (Cth)
- Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Act 1979(Cth)
- Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth)
- Copyright Act 1968 (Cth)
- Corporations Act 2001 (Cth)
- Crimes Act 1914 (Cth)
- Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth)
- Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth)
- Federal Court of Australia Act 1976(Cth)
- Federal Safety Commissioner Act 2022 (Cth)
- National Consumer Credit Protection Act 2009 (Cth)
- Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (Cth)
- Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993 (Cth)
- Trademarks Act 1995(Cth)
Related Links
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