How can the law best address sexual offences in an appropriately sensitive way? How can complainants be properly supported despite the adversarial nature of our legal system? In this episode, Just Cause co-director Rachel Killean talks to Julia McLean about courtroom questioning in sexual offence proceedings, about Ground Rules hearings and recognising witnesses as diverse human beings, and about improving complainants' experiences with the criminal justice system.
Julia McLean is a solicitor at the NSW Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. She has also worked at the NSW Law Reform Commission and as a Headnote Reporter for the Council of Law Reporting for NSW.
Julia completed the public prosecutor-in-residence program at the University of Sydney Law School in early 2024, where her research project focused on courtroom questioning of complainants in adult sexual offence prosecutions, including an examination of section 41 of the Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) and the use of Ground Rules Hearings.
This podcast was recorded during her residency at the Law School, after which she commenced as a Principal Legal Officer at the Australian Law Reform Commission working on the Justice Responses to Sexual Violence Inquiry.