VPRS 16181 Children's Court Register, Crimes Family Violence

Full description

The records in this series comprise of registers that were created to maintain records of Court Orders made in the Melbourne Children's Court in relation to offences under the Crimes (Family Violence) Act 1987 (No.19) and other subsequent Acts.

The subject of this register were applications to the Melbourne Children's Court for Intervention Orders in cases of family violence, stalking, general order enquiries and order enforcement. The register contains the original orders of the Children's Court of Crimes Family Violence hearings.

The court had the power to extend, vary or revoke intervention orders in some cases.

Children's Courts were established in Victoria by the Children's Courts Act 1906. This Act came into operation on 1 December 1906. Children's Courts could sit at any place where a Court of Petty Sessions/Magistrates' Court sat.

The 1906 Act and subsequent legislation required clerks of Children's Courts to keep a register of all cases and decisions of the court. The Acts also set out the form that the register should take. The Children's Court Register records the case number, the name of the informant or applicant, the name of the accused or defendant, his or her age or apparent age, how the defendant was brought to court (arrest warrant or summons), the court fees due, the nature of the information, charge or application, the court's decision and order and any remarks. The payment of fines or fees is often recorded in the remarks column.