COVID-19 – Arrangements for the Youth Court from 15 March 2021

Arrangements for the Youth Court from 15 March 2021

Consistent with SA Government guidelines relating to the management of public places during the COVID-19 health emergency, the Youth Court issues the following revised directives to parties and practitioners regarding appearances in Court from 15 March 2021.

These measures will be in operation until further notice. They may be revised as new public health announcements are made.

ATTENDANCE AT COURT BUILDINGS

Parties and practitioners are not to come to the Court, if they have:

• a confirmed case of COVID-19; or
• been in contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19; or
• been tested for COVID-19 and are awaiting the results; or
• arrived from overseas or from a cruise ship within the past 14 days; or
• arrived from State whose border is closed or restricted by the South Australian Government within the past 14 days; or
• a fever or chills (with no alternative illness that explains these symptoms),

The requirement to appear in court may be excused in certain circumstances. If you do not intend to appear because you honestly and reasonably believe you should self-isolate, you should do the following to support any application you may later wish to make to be excused from your appearing:

Criminal Jurisdiction

• Contact CourtSA by email enquiry@courts.sa.gov.au or phone 8204 2444 to advise the Court or the Youth Court directly by email youthcourt@courts.sa.gov.au or phone 8204 0331
• Contact your Department of Human Services (DHS) case worker
• If you are represented, tell your lawyer.
• Contact SA Police (Youth Prosecution) by telephone.
• Obtain a certificate from your doctor.
• If you are already at the court building, seek assistance from Sheriff’s Officers to complete a Proof of Attendance Contact Details form.

Care and Protection Jurisdiction

Adoption Jurisdiction

Surrogacy Jurisdiction 

•  Contact CourtSA by email enquiry@courts.sa.gov.au or phone 8204 2444 or the Youth Court directly by email youthcourt@courts.sa.gov.au or phone 8204 0331 at least 24 hours prior to the hearing
• Contact your Department for Child Protection (DCP) case worker
• If you are represented, tell your lawyer
• If possible, advise the other party(s)
• Obtain a certificate from your doctor and provide it to the court
• If you are already at the court building, seek assistance from Sheriff’s Officers to complete a Proof of Attendance Contact Details form.

If a party or practitioner has a condition that makes them vulnerable to infection and for that reason does not feel safe attending at the Court, they should advise the registry by 9.30am on the day before the hearing, provide a direct contact phone number and seek leave of the Court to appear at the hearing by phone.

Parties should allow extra time to be processed through point of entry security when entering court buildings due to social distancing measures.

Parties and practitioners are not to approach Court staff and must always maintain a minimum distance from others of 1.5 metres.

No documents are to be handed up in Court.

Where possible, parties should lodge documents via electronic means using the address: youthcourt@courts.sa.gov.au

All emailed documents should be signed and lodged in PDF format with a maximum of 100 pages per document. Documents too large for email should be posted or lodged in a registry filing box located in a Youth Court building.

All documents including written submissions, must be submitted to the Court no later than 1 clear working day before the hearing.

Parties and practitioners are reminded of the requirement that all parties must be copied in to any email communication with the Court.

Parties are required to bring their own water as water jugs will not be provided in courtrooms and water fountains are unavailable.

Lecterns have been removed from all courtrooms. However, during trials and lengthy hearings they can be made available upon request to in-court staff.

Hand sanitiser will be provided at the following locations in every courtroom

• Bench
• Judicial Support Table
• Bar Table
• Witness Box
• Sheriff’s Officer table

Listing Arrangements

Listing arrangements have not been modified.

The Court asks to be notified of any parties who are at high risk of serious illness should they be exposed to COVID-19, and will give priority to those matters where possible.

For overnight arrest matters.

• Prosecution is to provide an Information with an apprehension report attached so that defence can obtain instructions quickly, and
• All youths will appear by AVL.

Youths in custody will appear by AVL or telephone.

Parties are also encouraged to put together an agreed statement of facts when a matter is to be called on for a plea where possible.

Requests to appear by AVL or Telephone

Prosecution and Crown are expected to appear in person whenever possible.

Generally, parties and practitioners are expected to attend court in person. However, permission to appear by telephone or AVL may be granted in the following circumstances:

• Where a request is made by a solicitor or a party for permission to appear by AVL or telephone, including stating the reason for the request.
•  Where a request is made by DCP workers to appear by phone or AVL

The request must be made at least 2 days prior to the scheduled hearing by emailing youthcourt@courts.sa.gov.au. The granting of the request will be at the discretion of the presiding Magistrate or Judge. Registry will advise the solicitor/ party of the outcome of the request no later than the day before the hearing.

When submitting a request to appear by telephone or AVL the practitioner must

• provide a direct landline or mobile telephone number,
• provide an accurate email address (for AVL)
• ensure that he/she is available to answer the telephone,
• understand that the telephone call may be made at any time during the relevant list,
• understand that if the telephone call is not answered, the matter will be dealt with in a manner that the relevant Judicial Officer deems appropriate and
• understand that it is up to the practitioner to inform themselves of the outcome.

AVL is limited to 3 lines for connection.

WebEx may be used to facilitate hearings. When used, the court will email a meeting request to parties. Parties join the hearing by clicking on the button in the email if they have a device with a camera. Alternatively, they can join by telephone using the details provided in the email. It is important that solicitors ensure they make themselves available from the appointed time, bearing in mind that the court may not always call at that exact time.

Administrative Adjournments – First Mention

For a police prosecution, any request for an adjournment by a youth  or counsel on the first mention will be allowed administratively, so long as that request includes confirmation of the consent of the other party,  provided that the request is submitted to Registry no later than 2 working days before the day of the hearing.

For a prosecution by any other prosecuting authority, any request by a youth or counsel for an adjournment on the first mention will be allowed administratively, so long as that request includes confirmation of the consent of the other party, and the request is submitted to Registry no less than 2 working days prior to the day of the hearing.

For a police or other prosecuting authority prosecution where there are multiple youths, a request for an administrative adjournment will not be allowed unless it is made by all youths.

Where applicable, the parties will be advised of the new date by registry.

Contact Details for the Youth Court

Adelaide Youth Court Registry Details

75 Wright Street, Adelaide SA 5000

Email: youthcourt@courts.sa.gov.au

Phone: (08) 8204 0331

Suburban and Country Youth Court Locations:

Phone: 8204 2444

Judge P Eldridge

Youth Court Judge

Enquiries: Media and Communications Office
​Phone: ​8204 0403 or 0467795291
​Email: ​media@courts.sa.gov.au