The short answer
A QP9 (short for Queensland Police form QP 0009) is the Court Brief: the document Queensland Police prosecutors prepare for every charge that comes before a Magistrates Court. It sets out the charge(s) you’re facing and a “summary of facts”: the version of events police say they can prove. Police prosecutors are required to give a copy to your lawyer, or hand it to you personally if you’re unrepresented, at or before your first court appearance. It is not the same document as the “bench charge sheet” or summons that formally starts the case, although the two are usually delivered together.
If you’ve been given a court date and need to understand what’s actually alleged against you, contact us confidentially before you say or do anything else, day or night for urgent matters.
What does a QP9 actually contain?
Under the Queensland Police Service’s own Operational Procedures Manual (s 3.7.2, “Documentation at first appearance”), the arresting officer must complete a QP9 for every charge, and it has to include:
- the charge(s) as formally worded;
- a summary of facts setting out the material facts said to support every element of each charge, supported by witness accounts, physical exhibits (like body-worn camera or CCTV footage), or a certificate/averment provision;
- a summary of the substantiating evidence, including any admission you made, medical evidence of an alleged victim’s injuries, and the value of any loss or damage; and
- any defence or exculpation you raised, or that police are aware of, and any evidence police say negates it.
Your traffic and criminal history reports, and any documents needed for sentencing (such as victim impact statements or restitution quotes), are usually attached to it as well. Personal details of complainants or witnesses (like their home address) are deliberately left out unless they’re a material fact of the charge.
Is a QP9 the same as a “bench charge sheet”?
No, it’s not. The bench charge sheet is a separate document that formally commences the prosecution and is what’s filed with the court; it’s typically attached to the QP9, not part of it. The bench charge sheet is what the Magistrate sees on their file; they don’t see the QP9 or know anything about the facts of the matter until they are told what they are. The QP9 itself is the internal police brief (the summary of facts and evidence) that’s supplied to the defence for the purpose of the court case. In practice, when people say “QP9” they mean the charge(s) with the facts alleged by police.
When do I get a copy of my QP9?
Queensland Police policy requires prosecutors to provide a copy of the QP9 for every matter listed for mention in a Magistrates Court. Specifically, prosecutors must:
- give a copy to your lawyer within a reasonable time of a request; or
- personally hand a copy to an unrepresented defendant at an appropriate time before your first appearance.
If you’re not sure whether your QP9 has already been made available, your lawyer can check with the police prosecutor listed on your paperwork.
Why does the QP9 matter if I’m pleading guilty?
If you plead guilty, you are not just admitting the charge; you are effectively accepting the facts as summarised in the QP9, because that is what the prosecutor reads to the court and what the magistrate sentences you on. If the summary of facts overstates what happened, understates it, or gets a detail wrong that affects how serious the offending looks, it can directly affect your sentence.
This is the single biggest reason to have a lawyer read your QP9 before you say anything in court: facts can be negotiated or challenged before a plea is entered, but once you plead guilty to a set of facts, unpicking them afterwards is far harder. Never assume the summary of facts is complete or entirely accurate just because it came from police.
What if my matter is more serious? Do I get more than the QP9?
The QP9 is what you get for a matter listed for mention. If your matter is going further (because you intend to fight the charge, or it’s an indictable offence being committed for trial or sentence in the District or Supreme Court), the disclosure obligation is broader and comes from the Criminal Code itself, not just police policy.
Chapter 62, Chapter Division 3 of the Criminal Code (Qld) creates a “full and early disclosure” obligation on the prosecution for a relevant proceeding, defined in s 590AD as a committal proceeding, a “prescribed summary trial” (broadly, an indictable charge being dealt with summarily under ss 552A, 552B or 552BA), or a trial on indictment. Under QPS policy implementing that obligation:
| Proceeding stage | Brief timing |
|---|---|
| Committal for sentence / ex officio indictment | Ex officio or partial brief within 14 days of the defence advising the court |
| Summary trial (not-guilty plea entered) | Full brief within 35 days of the trial date being set, and at least 14 days before the hearing |
What happens next?
What the QP9 says (and how well it’s tested) shapes almost everything that follows: whether you’re offered bail, whether a charge can be negotiated down, and what happens on sentence. For a full walk-through of the mention itself (pleas, adjournments, and the committal process for more serious charges), see what actually happens at your first court date. Whatever you’ve been charged with, get advice before your first mention, not after:
- Charged over an alleged assault? See how we handle assault charges.
- Facing a drug charge? See how we handle drug offences.
- Worried about being remanded in custody? See how bail applications work.
- Charged with stealing, fraud or a property offence? See stealing, robbery and property offences.
If you’ve just been charged and have a court date, contact us for confidential advice (available 24/7 for urgent matters) before you enter a plea.
This article is general legal information, not advice about your situation.
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