Court Visits

Engage in an age appropriate legal education activity in the Supreme Court or District Court. The layout of the court and the roles of the court personnel are explained. This activity is subject to the availability of an empty courtroom.

Approximately 20-30 minutes

Sit in the public gallery and view a Supreme Court, District Court Magistrates Court or Federal Court in session. Provided there are proceedings in session, groups may view a criminal trial, pleas, or sentencing.

Approximately 30 minutes

Be a judge or lawyer and wear real legal wigs and gowns in the Old Court House. Take the role of a juror, a witness or other court personnel and act out court protocol and procedures in a trial based on a historical or fictitious event. The Education Officer takes photos during the scripted mock trial and those photos are forwarded to the group leader.

Approximately 45-60 minutes

Scenarios

• Alice in Court: The Queen of Hearts has accused Alice of disturbing the peace in Wonderland.
• A Day in the Life of the Magistrates Court: A scripted recreation of a normal day in the life of the busy and bustling Magistrates Court.
• The State of Western Australia v. Captain James HOOK: Charged with kidnapping Jack and Maggie Banning, who are Peter Pan’s children, the jury must decide if the accused is guilty or not guilty.
• The State of Western Australia v. Jamie BROWN: A fictional character accused of arson resulting from a fire that caused extensive damage to the college that s/he attends.
• The State of Western Australia v. John GAVEN: The true case of a 15 year old boy, John Gaven, put on trial in the Old Court House in 1844 for murder.
• The State of Western Australia v. Charlie WRIGHT: A fictional character accused of grievous bodily harm resulting from a one punch incident outside a suburban party.
• The State of Western Australia v. Audrey Campbell JACOB:  The true case of a 20 year old Western Australian woman put on trial for the murder of her fiancé, Cyril Gidley, after he was shot at the Government House Ballroom in 1925.

Students actively explore the differences between rules and laws.

45 minutes

From 1842-1849, 234 male juvenile offenders aged between 10 and 20 were transported to Western Australia as ‘apprentices’. Participants actively explore the lives of these ‘apprentices’, the offences that lead to their imprisonment and their experiences in the early days of the colonisation of Western Australia. Finally, participants consider why the boys were referred to as ‘apprentices’ and not convicts.

Approximately 60 minutes

The Old Court House is the City of Perth’s oldest building and it houses the Old Court House Law Museum. Participants actively explore the museum with the focus on WA Curriculum Civics and Citizenship themes.

Approximately 45 minutes

Curriculum: Year 3 – Western Australian Curriculum | Year 4 – Western Australian Curriculum

Year 3 to 4 Primary School groups do not observe a court in session as Magistrates Court matters are not suitable for children of this age.

We encourage year 3-4 groups to schedule a 30 min break between the two 45 minute sessions.

Option 1: 1 hour 30 minutes

Activities included:

• Empty court activity: Rule or Law?
• Mock trial – Alice in Court

Cost: $13 per participant. Minimum charge $130 per group*

* GST included. No charge for teachers and assistants.

Curriculum: Year 5 – Western Australian Curriculum | Year 6 – Western Australian Curriculum

Year 6 Primary School groups are able to observe a Magistrates Court in session. Students and their parents/guardians should be informed that the students may be exposed to bad language and/or graphic evidence when observing the Magistrates Court in session. Further, the Magistrates Court script reflects matters which are common in the Magistrates Court, e.g. violence and matters resulting from alcohol and/or drug abuse.

We encourage year 5-6 groups to schedule a 30 min break between the two 60 minute sessions.

Year 5

Option 1: 2 hours 15 minutes

Activities included:

• Mock trial
• Parkhurst apprenticeship scheme activity

Cost: $15 per participant. Minimum charge $150 per group*

* GST included. No charge for teachers and assistants.

Option 2: 2 hours 15 minutes

Activities included:

• Mock trial
• Museum activity

Cost: $15 per participant. Minimum charge $150 per group*

* GST included. No charge for teachers and assistants.

Mock trial scenarios

• The State of Western Australia v. Captain James HOOK

Year 6

Option 1: 2 hours 15 minutes

Activities included:

• Empty court activity
• Court in session
• Mock trial or Museum activity

Cost: $15 per participant. Minimum charge $150 per group*

* GST included. No charge for teachers and assistants.

Option 2: 2 hours 15 minutes

Activities included:

• Mock trial
• Museum activity

Cost: $15 per participant. Minimum charge $150 per group*

* GST included. No charge for teachers and assistants.

Mock trial scenarios

• The State of Western Australia v. Captain James HOOK
• The State of Western Australia v. Jamie BROWN

Curriculum: Year 7-10 Western Australian Curriculum

Year 7 to 10 Secondary School groups are able to observe a Supreme Court or District Court or Magistrates Court in session. Students and their parents/guardians need to be informed that the students may be exposed to bad language and/or graphic evidence when observing courts in session. Further, the State of Western Australia v. John GAVEN trial re-enactment is based on a real WA murder trial from 1844.

Option 1: 1 hour

Activities included:

• Mock trial

Cost: $13 per participant. Minimum charge $130 per group*

Option 2: 1.5 hour

Activities included:

• Empty court activity
• Court in session

Cost: $13 per participant. Minimum charge $130 per group*

* GST included. No charge for teachers and assistants.

Option 2: 2 hours 15 minutes

Activities included:

• Empty court activity
• Court in session
• Mock trial

Cost: $15 per participant. Minimum charge $150 per group*

* GST included. No charge for teachers and assistants.

Mock trial scenarios

• The State of Western Australia v. Jamie BROWN
• The State of Western Australia v. John GAVEN
• The State of Western Australia v. Charlie WRIGHT

WA Curriculum:

• Year 11 Politics and Law ATAR Course
• Year 11 Politics and Law General Course
• Year 12 Politics and Law ATAR Course
• Year 12 Politics and Law General Course

Year 11 to 12 Secondary School groups are able to observe a Supreme Court, District Court, Federal Court and/or Magistrates Court in session. Students and their parents/guardians need to be informed that the students may be exposed to bad language and/or graphic evidence when observing the courts in session. Further, the State of Western Australia v. Audrey Campbell JACOB trial re-enactment is based on a real WA murder trial from 1925.

Option 1: 2 hours 15 minutes

Activities included:

• Court in session (choice of Supreme Court, District Court, Federal Court and/or Magistrates Court)
• Empty court general activity*
• Mock trial or Empty court Politics and Law Syllabus activity*

Cost: $15 per participant. Minimum charge $150 per group*

* GST included. No charge for teachers and assistants.

Option 2: 3 hours 15 minutes

Activities included:

• Court in session (choice of Supreme Court or District Court and Federal Court or Magistrates Court)
• Empty court general activity OR
• Empty court Politics and Law Syllabus activity OR
• Mock trial

Cost: $20 per participant. Minimum charge $200 per group*

* GST included. No charge for teachers and assistants.

Mock trial scenarios

• The State of Western Australia v. Charlie WRIGHT
• The State of Western Australia v. Audrey Campbell JACOB

Empty Court Activities

• General empty court activity includes court layout and court personnel
• Politics and Law Syllabus empty court activities include:
  • Court hierarchy
  • Civil and criminal pre-trial procedure
  • Civil and criminal trials: differences + strengths and weaknesses
  • Recently implemented reform (the last ten years) to the criminal law process in Western Australia: The Jury System in WA
  • Recently implemented reform (the last ten years) to the criminal law process in Western Australia: Mandatory Sentencing
  • Mediation: Supreme Court Registrar presentation

2 hour 15 min tour 

Activities include:

• Empty Court Activity
• Court in Session
• Mock trial

Cost:  $15 per participant. Minimum charge $150 per group*

* GST included. No charge for teachers and leaders.

Mock trial scenarios

• A Day in the Life of the Magistrates Court
• The State of Western Australia v. John GAVEN
• The State of Western Australia v. Charlie WRIGHT
• The State of Western Australia v. Audrey Campbell JACOB

1 to 2 hour 15 min tour 

Activities include:

• Court in Session
• Empty Court Activity or mock trial

Cost:  $25 per participant. Minimum charge $250 per group*

* GST included. No charge for teachers and assistants.

Mock trial scenarios

• A Day in the Life of the Magistrates Court
• The State of Western Australia v. John GAVEN
• The State of Western Australia v. Charlie WRIGHT
• The State of Western Australia v. Audrey Campbell JACOB

1 to 2 hour 15 min tour 

Activities include:

• Court in Session
• Empty Court Activity or mock trial

Cost:  $25 per participant. Minimum charge $250 per group*

* GST included. No charge for teachers and assistants.

Mock trial scenarios

• A Day in the Life of the Magistrates Court
• The State of Western Australia v. John GAVEN
• The State of Western Australia v. Charlie WRIGHT
• The State of Western Australia v. Audrey Campbell JACOB

Professional groups from a number of organisations visit the Francis Burt Law Education Programme to complement their corporate and organisational professional learning programmes. The programme for professional group visits is determined by the purpose of the visit.

1 to 2 hour 15 min tour 

Activities include:

• Court in Session
• Empty Court Activity or mock trial

Cost:  $50 per participant. Minimum charge $500 per group*

* GST included. No charge for teachers and assistants.

Mock trial scenarios

• A Day in the Life of the Magistrates Court
• The State of Western Australia v. John GAVEN
• The State of Western Australia v. Charlie WRIGHT
• The State of Western Australia v. Audrey Campbell JACOB

University groups from a number of faculties (e.g. Law and Education faculties) visit the Francis Burt Law Education Programme to complement their on-campus learning programmes. The programme for university group visits is determined by the purpose of the visit.