Editors --- "ALRC Discussion Paper on The Federal Civil Justice System" [1999] AdminRw 11; (1999) 51 Admin Review 40

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ALRC DISCUSSION PAPER ON THE FEDERAL CIVIL JUSTICE SYSTEM

The Australian Law Reform Commission ('ALRC') released a Discussion Paper, stemming from its inquiry into the federal civil justice system, on Friday, 20 August 1999.

The Discussion Paper is in excess of 550 pages. The main proposals contained in the Paper have may summarised as follows:

• The Government should establish an independent judicial commission, modelled on the Judicial Commission of NSW, to receive and investigate complaints against federal judges and magistrates.

• The Law Council of Australia should draft national practice standards, outlining the responsibilities and ethical duties of lawyers.

• The Government should establish a 'Federal Legal Services Forum', with a review and advisory role on consumer issues in federal legal services.

• The Family Court should introduce a 'docket system' - similar to that of the Federal Court - in which a case is allocated to an individual judge, for carriage through the system.

• The Attorney-General should establish an advisory body, known as the 'Australian Council on Legal Education', to develop model standards for legal education and training for lawyers.

• The Attorney-General should establish a national institute with responsibility for training federal judges, magistrates and review tribunal members.

• The review tribunals should establish a council to promote the sharing of professional information and experience.