24Protection of registrars

24 Protection of registrars

The principal registrar, a registrar and a deputy registrar have, in the performance of their duties in good faith, the same protection and immunity as a magistrate has in the performance of his or her duties as a magistrate.

Part 4—Warrants and criminal proceedings

Division 1—Jurisdiction

25 Extent of jurisdiction

(1) The Court has jurisdiction—

(a) to hear and determine all summary offences; and

(b) to hear and determine all indictable offences which may be heard and determined summarily; and

(c) to conduct committal proceedings into indictable offences and either—

S. 25(1)(c)(i) amended by No. 68/2009 s. 97(Sch. item 82.25).

(i) direct the accused to be tried and order that the accused be remanded in custody until trial or grant bail; or

S. 25(1)(c)(ii) amended by Nos 68/2009 s. 97(Sch. item 82.25), 5/2025 s. 59.

(ii) discharge the accused under section 126(4) of the Criminal Procedure Act 2009; and

(d) to make orders to enforce the payment of all fines which are, by any Act, directed to be recovered in the Court or for the recovery of which no provision is made.

(2) The jurisdiction given by subsection (1) is additional to any other jurisdiction given to the Court with respect to a criminal proceeding by or under any Act other than this Act.

S. 25(3) inserted by No. 7/2009 s. 426 (as amended by No. 68/2009 ss 46(a), 54(l)).

(3) In a particular case, the jurisdiction given by subsection (1)(c) may be exercised concurrently with the jurisdiction of the Children's Court to conduct a committal proceeding if—

(a) the charges against each accused could properly be joined in the same indictment; and

(b) the accused who is a child—

(i) is of or over the age of 15 years at the time the proceeding against the child for the offence is commenced; and

S. 25(3)(b)(ii) amended by Nos 30/2010 s. 85, 63/2014 s. 5(2), 16/2020 s. 20, 54/2025 s. 25.

(ii) is charged with murder, attempted murder, manslaughter, child homicide, homicide by firearm, a designated offence (within the meaning of section 516 of the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005) committed when the child was aged 15 years or over, an offence against section 197A of the Crimes Act 1958 (arson causing death) or an offence against section 318 of the Crimes Act 1958 (culpable driving causing death); and

(c) the Court makes an order under subsection (4) in relation to the accused who is not a child and the Children's Court makes an order under section 516A(2) of the in relation to the accused who is a child.