Criminal Law

The UMSU Legal Service provides legal assistance on minor criminal law matters, including fines/infringements and summary criminal offences. We do not provide assistance on indictable criminal offences, which have more serious potential penalties.

If you have been charged with an indictable offence, we recommend obtaining advice from the following services:

• Victoria Legal Aid
• Your local community legal centre
• A private criminal lawyer through the Law Institute of Victoria Legal Referral Service

Police powers and your rights

When dealing with the police, it is important to be aware of your rights so that you can speak out if a problem arises.

You can find information about police powers and your rights on the Victoria Legal Aid website here.

Going to court for a criminal matter

Going to court can be quite intimidating. For this reason, we recommend you contact us or another legal service before your court date for advice. A lawyer can help you to understand your case and what your options are. 

You can find further information about the Magistrates' Court of Victoria here.

 

The information on this website is not legal advice. It is legal information only. If you are a current University of Melbourne student who requires legal advice, please contact the UMSU Legal Service here.

Last updated: 6 February 2024