Criminal Law

Civil Laws

Criminal Law

NAAJA has the largest criminal law practice in the Northern Territory with offices in Darwin, Katherine, Tennant Creek and Alice Springs. NAAJA’s criminal law section consists of dedicated and passionate lawyers and highly professional Aboriginal paralegal staff.

OUR CRIMINAL LAW PRACTICE REPRESENTS CLIENTS:

  • On criminal charges in the Youth Justice Court, Court of Summary Jurisdiction (Local Court), and Supreme Court;
  • The Court of Criminal Appeal; and
  • In some circumstances, the High Court of Australia.

NAAJA ATTENDS BUSH COURTS IN:

  • Darwin Region – Milikapiti (Snake Bay), Nguiu, Maningrida, Oenpelli (Gumbalanya), Jabiru, Daly River and Wadeye (Port Keats).
  • Katherine Region – Barunga, Ngukurr, Timber Creek, Borroloola, Kalgarindji and Lajamanu.
  • Central Australia – Tennant Creek, Hermannsburg, Papunya, Yuendumu, Mutitjulu, Kintore, Ali-Curung, Docker River and Elliot.

WE ALSO PROVIDE:

  • Legal advice over the phone or face to face about criminal charges or police investigations; and
  • 24 hour legal advice and information for people arrested or taken into police custody. If you get picked up by police you can ask them to call NAAJA CNS for advice, information and support from a NAAJA CNS worker.

NAAJA ALSO PROVIDES SPECIALISED SERVICES FOR VULNERABLE PERSONS INCLUDING:

  • Young people
  • Defendants with mental health issues and other disabilities

WE STRIVE TO:

  • Provide a culturally relevant legal service to Aboriginal people of the Northern Territory;
  • Assist clients with interpreters in their language; and
  • Advocate for change to laws, programs, policies that affect Aboriginal people in the criminal justice system.

CUSTODY NOTIFICATION SYSTEM (CNS):

In 1991 the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody recommended the establishment of a custody notification service (CNS). In 2018 the Commonwealth announced funding for NAAJA to specifically implement this service in the Northern Territory. The service commenced on the 11th June 2019. Since then NAAJA have provided a 24 hour a day 7 day a week telephone service for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders taken into police custody. The Territory-wide initiative gives Aboriginal and Torres Islanders telephone access to trained NAAJA staff who provide a wellbeing check, re-assurance, legal advice and information about rights with police and the legal process. The service also make referrals, where appropriate, to service providers to assist people when they are released. The aim of the service is to reduce avoidable harms suffered by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in police custody and to ensure they understand and exercise their rights when dealing with police.

CNS ‘FAMILY ASSIST LINE’

If you are concerned about an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander who has been taken into police custody you can call the NAAJA CNS Family Assist Line, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, on 08 7902 9315. You will be asked to leave a message and one of our staff will call you back as soon as possible to provide you with information and assistance.