Stage 1 Legal Studies visit Supreme Court

Darwin High School Stage 1 Legel Studies students have been studying the justice system and examining how courts provide a means of resolving disputes and enforcing the law.

By Year 11 student Cary Shoyer

On Wednesday 16 March, Week 7, our Year 11 Stage 1 Legal Studies class went on an excursion to the Supreme Court. We arrived at around 8:15 and were greeted by the media and public liaison for court proceedings. He guided us around the building, showing us various important artworks and the stories behind them. Subsequently, we were led into a court room by our guide and were taught about the various aspects of the court. 

After he had finished explaining all the important legal principles to us, we were assigned roles and participated in a mock trial. Some roles that people had taken were the judge, jury, witness, prosecutor, etc. The case in which we were involved was Goldilocks v R. Although many of the character’s names were quite absurd, the case was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone in the room. Eventually, the jury reached a unanimous verdict of guilty. 

After the mock trial, we were guided to Court Room 2, where we intended to watch court proceedings. However, it was revealed that the case was somewhat inappropriate, and it was unsuitable for us to watch. Although this was an obvious downside of the trip, it was replaced by a visit to Court Room 1, which is primarily used for ceremonial duties. We were explained by our guide what took place in the court room and all the nuances that were involved. Unfortunately, our excursion inevitably came to an end, and we made our way back to school with newfound knowledge of the way our court system works.