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The legal system of Australia has multiple forms. It includes a written constitution, unwritten constitutional conventions, statutes, regulations, and the judicially determined common law. Its legal institutions and traditions are substantially derived from that of the English legal system. Australia is a common-law jurisdiction, its court system having originated in the common law system of English law. The country's common law is enforced uniformly across jurisdictions (subject to augmentation by statutes).The Australian Constitution sets out a federal system of government. There exists a national legislature, with a power to pass laws of overriding force on a number of express topics. The States are separate jurisdictions with their own system of courts and parliaments, and are vested with plenary power. Some Australian territories such as the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory have been granted a regional legislature by the Commonwealth.
The High Court is Australia's apex court. It has the final say on the judicial determination of all legal matters. It hears appeals from all other courts in the country, and is vested with original jurisdiction.Prior to colonization, the only systems of law to exist in Australia were the varied systems of customary law belonging to Indigenous Australians. Indigenous systems of law were deliberately ignored by the colonial legal system, and in the post-colonial era have only been recognised as legally important by Australian courts to a limited degree.

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    WA Australian Law - Does Legal Name on Court Documents Matter?

    I just arrived home and my son hands me some court papers and says some guy dropped these off for you. Not sure if that matters legally but my question is if these papers don't contain my legal name does that make them illegitimate under Australian Law?
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    WA Preparing for Juris Doctor - Any Tips?

    Hi, I am an undergraduate going into the second year of Philosophy/Law and Society double major. After this I will complete the Juris Doctor and am wondering if anyone can offer me some tips. Are there any things/texts you think would be valuable to start looking at/into now in the lead up to...
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    VIC Constructing Clause in Agreement Complying with Indian and Australian Law?

    Hello Lawyers, I have a clause in my draft software agreement with an Indian software development company which states; Quote: 5 Choice of Law; Venue; Limitation of Actions: This Agreement shall be governed and construed in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Australia and the...
  4. Z

    QLD Preparation for Law (Honours) - Tips and Help?

    Hey guys, Just wondering if anyone could refer me to any material/has any help on ways to 'prepare' for this Australian Law degree. I am already a Registered Nurse but know that this degree will be completely different (plus I haven't been to uni for a few years now). Any help is appreciated...
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    SA Neighbour's Disruptive Visitors Beeping Their Car Horn?

    Hi guys, I have an issue with a neighbour's visitors, a couple houses up, who beep their car horn whenever they leave. This is most days, sometimes it's multiple times a day. And it's not just one "beep", it's either "beep!-beep!" or "beep!-beep!...beep!-beep!" It can be very annoying...
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    SA Australian Law Students - Expectations During Exams?

    Hi all, I'm a first-year Australian law student. Exam questions were given prior to the exam. It is hand written, closed book essay writing. My question is what are the expectations? Do I cite and I reference? Cheers
  7. wsDK_II

    VIC Australian Law on Photography in Public Areas?

    Hello, I'm hoping there are some here who can help me out. In the USA, they have the 1st amendment to their constitution which explicitly allows public photography within publicly accessible areas of public buildings, and in public of anything that can be seen from public. Australia has no...
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    QLD Banned from Pub for 1 Year - Allowed Under Australian Law?

    I have just been issued a letter informing me that a cartoon I had drawn on Thursday morning and placed on a vending machine had caused such offence that they deemed it necessary to ban me for one year. The cartoon was of a person who had a swastika on his forehead and devil's horns and it said...
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    NSW Australian Law - What Does External Jurisdiction Mean?

    I was unable to find a simple or clear definition of what external jurisdiction exactly means under Australian Law. If jurisdiction means the authority given to a judge to take decisions in matters concerning the law, I figured external jurisdiction is other groups or communities that help...
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    WA Australian Law - Patient Rights to Go to Public Hospital?

    Hi Not sure how to find the answer to this question, hopefully someone can help us out. Can someone who is often unwell attend a public hospital emergency department as often as he has a need under Australian Law? Do staff have the right to tell him not to come as often and go to the gp...