Year 11 Legal Studies

Year 11 Legal Studies Visit Dandenong Magistrates’ Court

On Tuesday 10 June, our Year 11 Legal Studies students visited the Dandenong Magistrates’ Court as part of their studies on Victoria’s legal system. The excursion gave students the opportunity to observe real court proceedings, witness the roles of legal professionals in action, and apply key concepts from Unit 1 Legal Studies in a real-world setting.

The excursion was led by Mrs Anna Anetoudis and accompanied by Mr Jeremy Woods, who guided students through the court layout and helped them complete observation tasks during the day. Students were engaged and respectful throughout the visit, and many commented on how valuable it was to see the legal process beyond the classroom.

We thank the court staff for allowing us to attend and congratulate our students on the way they represented the school.

Student reflections:

On Tuesday, myself and my peers attended a day of hearings at the Dandenong Magistrates Court. We were able to get a deep look inside the workings of the legal system, from how a court is managed respectfully to how a sanction is fairly imposed on a guilty party. During the visit we were also given the opportunity to talk to both a Solicitor and a Magistrate, both who provided us with valuable information about their career paths, role in the legal system and how they manage cases justly. 

One element of the excursion that stood out for me was the variation of cases we were able to hear within the courtrooms. From minor theft cases and drunk driving, to assaults and large property damage, the Magistrates' Court attempts to handle each case with fairness and justice, so as to not only protect the community, but also the accused individuals.

This experience gave the class a valuable opportunity to observe Victoria’s Legal system and its inner workings as well as showing how a multitude of people play a role in the justice system.  Tom B  

At the Dandenong Magistrates court, the first thing that surprised me was how small it actually was, I was likely imagining it to look a lot more like one of the higher courts so walking into the courtroom I was rather shocked to find that it looked like a large office. It was quite interesting to see how the court operates and I quite liked the Magistrate in courtroom two who answered our questions at the end. Overall it was an enjoyable experience to witness what we've been learning for the past six months actually be put into action.  Anna N

Going to the Dandenong Magistrates’ Court was honestly really eye-opening. I didn’t realise how many cases get heard in just one morning, and how quickly everything moves. One thing that stuck with me was seeing a young person around my age facing a charge—it really made me think about how one decision can have serious consequences. It was also cool to see how the magistrate, lawyers, and others in the courtroom actually work together in real life, not just in theory like we learn in class. It definitely helped me understand Legal Studies in a more practical way. Mason F

At the Magistrates' Court excursion, I thoroughly enjoyed the once in a life time opportunity to witness local cases in person. I found it interesting when watching how the court works and how smoothly they ran through the cases. Risha P

I really enjoyed the excursion to the Dandenong Magistrates’ Court as it was quite informative, eye opening and intriguing. We got to sit in and face real life cases, which was something I’ve never experienced before. Throughout the day various members of staff within the facility also offered to take questions from our class, which was a great educational opportunity and also assisted in expanding our knowledge of career options within the legal field from the professionals themselves. I found the day to be quite amusing and informational, along with being an overall great learning opportunity for both the subject and in the long run. Olivia M