6Commencement of a criminal proceeding in the Magistrates' Court

6 Commencement of a criminal proceeding in the Magistrates' Court (1) A criminal proceeding is commenced— S. 6(1)(a) amended by No. 20/2025 s. 5. (a) by filing a charge-sheet containing a charge in the Magistrates' Court; or (b) if the accused is arrested without a warrant and is released on bail, by filing a charge-sheet containing a charge with a bail justice; or (c) if a summons is issued under section 14, at the time the charge-sheet is signed. Note to s. 6(1) substituted as Notes by No. 32/2024 s. 812. 1 A criminal proceeding against a child is commenced in the same manner in the Children's Court: section 528 of the **Children, Youth and Families Act 2005**. 2 In the case of a criminal proceeding for an alleged offence by a child who was 12 or 13 years of age at the time of the alleged commission of the offence, a record of reasons must be filed with the charge-sheet. S. 6(2) amended by No. 31/2024 s. 9. (2) If a charge-sheet is filed in accordance with the method prescribed by the rules of court for electronic filing, the requirements of section 8(1) of the **Electronic Transactions (Victoria) Act 2000** are taken to have been met. (3) A charge-sheet must— (a) be in writing; and (b) be signed by the informant personally; and (c) comply with Schedule 1. Section 18 requires an informant to nominate an address for service of documents and other details. That information may be included on a charge-sheet. (4) The informant may include a request for a committal proceeding in a charge-sheet containing a charge for an indictable offence that may be heard and determined summarily.