A misdemeanor is a less serious crime than a felony. Felonies are the most serious crimes you can commit and have long jail or prison sentences, fines, or permanent loss of freedoms. Misdemeanors usually involve jail time, smaller fines, and temporary punishments. For example, you can be slightly over the limit during a DUI stop […]

Larceny is the same offence that is known as theft or stealing in other jurisdictions. The offence of larceny is contained in section 117 of the Crimes Act 1900 and carries a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment. However, if the matter is dealt with in the Local Court, the penalties available are subject to […]

A simple definition of copyright is that it is a bunch of rights in certain creative material such as text, artistic works, music, computer programs, sound recordings and films. The copyright owner has the right to control how their material is used. Copyright owners can prevent others from copying or communicating their material without their […]

As an employer, you have an obligation to comply with all aspects of Australian employment law and ensure your employees can work comfortably in a safe and secure environment – free of bullying, discrimination, and harassment. The main sources of employment law in Australia are legislation (federal, state and territory laws); industrial instruments; and the […]

In NSW, it is against the law to have sexual intercourse with an animal and doing so can result in heavy penalties. This offence is known as bestiality, which isn’t defined in the legislation, but is under the common law, specifically as the sexual penetration of any animal (R v Brown (1889) 24 QBD 357). […]

Contract law encompasses any laws or regulations directed toward enforcing certain promises. We all make contracts almost every day. Whenever we buy a coffee, do the grocery shopping, fill the car up with petrol or purchase a ticket for public transport we are entering into a contract. We are often unaware we are contracting (or […]

By law, children must be restrained appropriately at all times when travelling in a car in Australia. Make sure you choose the right restraint for your child and your vehicle. Restraints need to be fitted and used correctly. Travelling with children can be challenging, but there are things you can do to make the journey […]

According to Australia’s national aviation authority, Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), flying a drone is legal in Australia, but we recommend being aware of and compliant with the drone regulations listed below before doing so. You must only fly during the day and keep your drone within visual line-of-sight. This means being able to […]

What is bullying? A worker is bullied at work if: a person or group of people repeatedly act unreasonably towards them or a group of workers the behaviour creates a risk to health and safety. Unreasonable behaviour includes victimising, humiliating, intimidating or threatening. Whether a behaviour is unreasonable can depend on whether a reasonable person […]

What is entrapment in Australia? It is a central part of our criminal justice system that those who voluntarily commit an offence will be held liable to the full extent of the law. This is regardless of whether they have been induced to act by another person. In some very limited cases, being induced to […]