AOS1 - Court Hierarchy

Question 1

The Victorian court hierarchy

Answer 1

• High Court (National)
• Supreme Court - Court of Appeal
• Supreme Court - Trial Division
• County Court
• Magistrate’s Court

Question 2

Reasons for court hierarchy

Answer 2

• Specialisation (repeatedly ruling over certain kinds of cases will lead to expertise)
• Appeals (allows for people who believe that an error was made in their case to try to review their ruling in a higher court)
• Administrative convenience (less serious offences in lower courts, more serious ones in higher courts will maximise the courts’ resources)
• Precedent (allows for higher courts to rule over cases, then similar cases in the same or lower courts should rule similarly)