Dinner Meeting with Judge Costigan – 5 June 2019

Special General Meeting (SGM) & Special Resolution
At the Special General Meeting on 5 June 2019, twenty-eight members in attendance, including proxies, voted unanimously in favour of a motion to repeal the Constitution of the Central Coast Law Society and adopt the new Constitution.  The purpose of the amendments was to update provisions generally, set a maximum number of the Committee at 12 members, and tidying up some minor drafting issues.

Dinner Meeting on 5 June 2019
Following the Special General Meeting, the dinner meeting was held at the Reviver Bar in Gosford.  Federal Circuit Court Judge Jane Costigan spoke at the meeting and it was very pleasing to see so many members turn out on what was a very cold night, and in competition to the State of Origin match.  Judge Costigan spoke about the amendments to the Family Law Act in relation to the family violence and cross examination scheme, with the pivotal change being that as and from 10 September 2019 personal cross examination will be banned in family law proceedings in certain circumstances where allegations of family violence have been raised, to prevent a party asking questions of another party or witness directly, rather than having questions asked by a lawyer.  The ban exists because personal cross examination by an alleged perpetrator can expose victims of family violence to re-traumatisation, and affect their ability to give clear evidence.  Download a Fact Sheet from Legal Aid NSW summarising the changes.