Articles
The latest news and developments in Queensland criminal law and practice.
Driving While Disqualified in Queensland: Can You Avoid Jail?
26 July 2026
8 minute read
Driving while disqualified in QLD carries up to 18 months’ jail under s 78 TORUM, but prison isn’t automatic. Here’s what the court actually weighs.
Drug Trafficking Charges in Queensland: Penalties and Thresholds
23 July 2026
9 minute read
Charged with drug trafficking in Queensland? How trafficking differs from supply and possession under the Drugs Misuse Act, the real penalties, and what quantity does and doesn’t prove.
No Conviction Recorded vs a Recorded Conviction in Queensland
21 July 2026
8 minute read
Whether a conviction shows on a police check in Queensland depends on whether the court recorded it under s 12 of the Penalties and Sentences Act 1992 (Qld).
What are my rights if police want to interview me?
19 July 2026
7 minute read
You don’t have to answer police questions in Queensland. Your rights to silence, a lawyer and a caution under the Police Powers and Responsibilities Act.
Charged with a Sexual Offence in Queensland: What Happens Next
16 July 2026
7 minute read
Investigation, arrest or Notice to Appear, bail, committal and trial: what actually happens after a Queensland sexual offence charge, step by step.
Breached a DVO in Queensland? What Happens Next
14 July 2026
8 minute read
Charged with breaching a DVO in Queensland? What happens next: arrest, bail, court process and the maximum penalties under s 177, as at 14 July 2026.
Murder vs Manslaughter in Queensland: What’s the Difference?
12 July 2026
8 minute read
Murder vs manslaughter in Queensland: the s 302 legal test, mandatory vs discretionary penalties, and defences that reduce one to the other, as at 12 July 2026.
Can You Drive on Medicinal Cannabis in Queensland?
9 July 2026
8 minute read
No. Driving with THC present is an offence in Queensland even with a valid prescription. The penalties, licence disqualifications and your options, as at 9 July 2026.
What Actually Happens at Your First Court Date in Queensland?
7 July 2026
9 minute read
Your first Queensland court date is a ‘mention’: the charge is read and you plead or seek an adjournment. Here’s what actually happens, step by step.
What Is a QP9 and How Do I Get a Copy of It?
6 July 2026
8 minute read
A QP9 is the police Court Brief that sets out your charge and the alleged facts in Queensland. What it contains and when you get a copy.
Coercive Control Is Now a Crime in Queensland
5 July 2026
8 minute read
Coercive control has been a standalone QLD offence since 26 May 2025 (s 334C Criminal Code), max 14 years. What it covers and how it differs from a DVO breach.
How Bail Works in Queensland
5 July 2026
10 minute read
How bail works in Queensland: the show-cause offences, the ‘unacceptable risk’ test, and what happens if police or a court refuse bail, as at 5 July 2026.
Affirmative Consent in Queensland: What the Law Actually Says
3 July 2026
9 minute read
Queensland moved to an affirmative consent model on 23 September 2024. What changed, how it affects mistake of fact, and which cases the new law applies to.
Understanding Jack’s Law: How Queensland Is Strengthening Youth Safety
7 December 2025
9 minute read
Learn how Queensland’s Jack’s Law is transforming youth safety by empowering police with new knife-detection powers. Understand what the law means, why it was introduced, and its impact on community protection.
Daniel’s Law: Queensland’s Public Child Sex Offender Register Explained
7 October 2025
8 minute read
Daniel’s Law commenced 31 December 2025, giving the public tiered access to Queensland’s child sex offender register. How the three tiers work, and the limits.
Exceptional circumstances and recorded convictions in CEM cases
9 April 2024
7 minute read
The Court of Appeal has recently considered exceptional circumstances in a CEM case, and whether a conviction should be recorded.
Drug and Alcohol Diversion in Queensland
14 March 2024
6 minute read
For anyone charged with drug or alcohol related offences in Queensland, drug diversion and DAAR programs can be a way to avoid convictions and safeguard your future.
Mandatory Minimum Sentences in Australia
13 March 2024
4 minute read
The High Court of Australia has just confirmed the law with respect to mandatory minimum sentences in Australia, and how sentences should be calculated.
New changes to reportable offender obligations in Queensland
9 May 2023
4 minute read
Queensland doubled reportable offenders’ minimum reporting periods and expanded police powers in 2023, then added a public register under Daniel’s Law in 2025.
The Law On Medicinal Cannabis in Queensland
8 April 2023
4 minute read
Medicinal cannabis is legal in Queensland with a valid prescription under the Medicines and Poisons Act 2019. What doctors and patients need to know, as at 9 July 2026.
Relaxed Drug Possession Laws in Queensland
22 February 2023
2 minute read
Queensland’s ‘three strike’ police drug diversion system explained: how it works, who is eligible, and the 2026 reform that will replace it.
Voluntary Assisted Dying in Queensland
20 September 2021
4 minute read
Voluntary assisted dying has been law in Queensland since 1 January 2023. Eligibility, the request process, and the offences that still apply.
Federal government granted unprecedented access to your online accounts
4 September 2021
5 minute read
In a move that would fit perfectly in George Orwell’s classic novel, 1984, the Federal Government has just passed legislation which grants police access to your computer and online accounts, with power to copy, modify or delete data as they wish. Worried?
What does it mean to be a reportable offender in Queensland?
3 August 2021
11 minute read
Convicted of a child sexual offence or CEM offence in QLD? A deep dive into reportable offender obligations, reporting periods and Daniel’s Law.
Child pornography (CEM): the new offences and changes to sentencing
30 September 2020
8 minute read
Recent changes to the law have led to the creation of two new offences relating to child abuse objects, as well as a tougher sentencing regime requiring exceptional circumstances to stay out of jail.
Mistake of fact: consent laws in Queensland
18 August 2020
10 minute read
Is the mistake of fact defence still available in Queensland rape and sexual assault cases? Yes, but the 2021 and 2024 reforms changed it dramatically.
Can you be charged for transmitting a disease?
15 May 2020
5 minute read
Transmitting a disease can be a criminal offence in Queensland, from reckless transmission under the Public Health Act to life imprisonment under s 317 of the Criminal Code.
What Is a Valid and Sufficient Excuse for Not Voting?
28 March 2020
9 minute read
Being too sick to get to a polling booth can be a valid and sufficient excuse for not voting. What counts, what doesn’t, and the fine in Queensland ($172.70) and federally.
How can you represent a guilty person?
18 February 2020
6 minute read
How can you represent a guilty person? What about if they told you that they did it? And what if you know they’re guilty? Find out here.