Leading judicial education for an Australian judiciary

The national orientation program provides a wealth of knowledge, understanding, judge-craft skills and social context training for newly appointed magistrates from across Australia.

Designed with a balance of theory sessions (participants hear from subject matter experts as well as experienced judicial officers) and practical sessions involving facilitator-led practice in managing the court room and delivering oral decisions. Participants have an opportunity to reflect on the judicial role and function and meet with magistrates from other jurisdictions for important cross-jurisdictional discourse and peer judicial support.

Formerly known as the National Magistrates Orientation Program NMLCOP provides newly appointed magistrates with the opportunity to benefit from the knowledge and experience of senior magistrates who attend the program as both presenters and facilitators. Intensive and interactive, each day of the program promotes the opportunity for knowledge and skills building, as well as the exchange of ideas and experiences among participants.

The judicial learning outcomes of this program are ambitious. The series and sequencing of sessions is specifically designed to provide participants with the judicial skills necessary to facilitate and enhance their transition to a long and successful role on the bench. 

This NJCA flagship orientation program familiarises magistrates with many of the court-craft skills and social context issues that affect the judicial decision making process. Sessions also cover ethical considerations that may impact decision making, sentencing, skills for addressing interpreters in the courtroom as well as court-craft skills to address the procedural fairness awareness issues when dealing with self-represented litigants.

Two afternoons of the program are carefully scaffolded and dedicated to small group, experiential learning sessions in the courtroom with experienced magistrates. Other sessions focus on the longevity strategies for judicial life and well-being, oral decisions and an introduction to the 5C’s of judgment writing.

This sharing of experience and practice, led by senior, experienced magistrates and facilitators, will enable newly appointment magistrates to return to their respective courts with practical, readily useable information and instantly applicable judicial skills. Cross jurisdictional discussion, discourse and debate is a treasured judicial learning outcome.

All catering during program hours, a welcome reception Sunday evening, program dinners on Tuesday and Thursday.

Accommodation and Travel are NOT included.

Meet your Program Planning Committee

Testimonials

National Magistrates Orientation Program – Sept 2023

”I was looking forward to this programme but it still exceeded all expectations. There was collegiality in the group, we had friendly, approachable and knowledgeable facilitators, the content was interesting, varied, and directly relevant to our day-to-day work and our level of experience. 10 out of 10! I wish we could do this every year…”

National Magistrates Orientation Program – Sept 2023

“Thank you. This was a very valuable experience, and all presenters and presentations were of the highest quality.”

National Magistrates Orientation Program – Sept 2023

“Very valuable for all new magistrates. Very well organised. What I admired was that all presenters were so approachable and willing to assist. Very welcoming environment to learn.”

National Magistrates Intensive Program – Nov 2023

“The topics and presenters were well targeted at the experience level of their audience. In my case, it reinforced much of what I do, and opened up some thinking about alternative approaches in some areas.”