Survey on Experiences and Perceptions of the Australian Legal System
Notes for Participants

Please read the following information before beginning the survey.


Purpose of the Survey

The purpose of this survey is to gather insights into citizens' experiences with legal proceedings in Australia. We aim to understand perceptions of the conduct of courts and judges (mainly magistrates and family/federal circuit court judges), treatment of litigants, issues related to domestic violence and false accusations, and interactions with organizations like Child Protection Services (CPS) and Domestic Violence Crisis Service (DVCS).


Voluntary Participation

Your participation is entirely voluntary (about 15 minutes). You may choose to skip any questions you prefer not to answer or exit the survey at any time.


Confidentiality

Please be assured that your responses will remain strictly anonymous and confidential. The survey results will be reported in aggregate form, wherever appropriate, meaning that individual responses will be combined and summarized without any connection to specific participants. In situations where individual responses are necessary to highlight important issues or insights, we will ensure all personal details are removed or pseudonymized.


Risks and Discomforts

Some questions may involve sensitive topics that could cause discomfort or emotional distress. If you feel uneasy at any point, you are free to skip questions or discontinue participation.


Contributions

Your responses will contribute to research that aims to improve the fairness and effectiveness of the Australian legal system.


Support Resources

If participation raises any concerns or distress, please consider reaching out to professional support services such as:

· Lifeline: 13 11 14

· Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636


Consent

By proceeding with the survey, you indicate your informed consent to participate under the terms described above.

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Section A: Demographic Information

Purpose: To ensure diverse representation and for data analysis.

1. What is your age?

Clear selection

2. What is your gender?

Clear selection

3. Which state or territory do you reside in?

Clear selection

4. What is your highest level of education completed?

Clear selection

5. Which of the following best describes your annual income before tax?

Clear selection

Section B: Experience with the Legal System

Purpose: To understand participants' personal interactions with the legal system and perceptions of fairness and justice.

6. Have you ever had direct experience with the Australian legal system, specifically the magistrate/district courts or family/federal circuit courts?

If ‘Yes’, proceed to the next question. If ‘No’, skip to Section C.

Clear selection

7. What was the nature of the case or involvement? (Select all that apply)

8. In what capacity did you interact with the court(s)?

Clear selection

9. How long did your legal proceedings take from start (when the initiating document was first filed in Court) to resolution?

Clear selection

10. If you participate in mediation or other forms of dispute resolution as part of your legal proceedings, please indicate your level of agreement with the following statements regarding your experience.

Strongly Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
a. The mediation process was fair and the mediator appear impartial and unbiased.
b. All parties had an equal opportunity to express their views and concerns during mediation.
c. The mediation process lead to a mutually acceptable agreement.
Clear selection

11. On a scale of 1 to 5, how would you rate your overall experience with the legal system?

Very Negative
Very Positive
Clear selection

12. Please indicate your level of agreement with the following statements regarding your experience:

Strongly Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
a. I understood the legal proceedings and the terminology used.
b. I had adequate support services and accessible resources during my legal proceedings.
c. The legal process I experienced was fair and unbiased.
d. The legal professionals involved acted ethically and responsibly.
e. I felt protected from false accusations during the court proceedings.
f. I was not discriminated against based on my personal characteristics during the court proceedings.
g. The legal system adequately addressed issues of parental alienation during my case.
h. The legal system genuinely considered the welfare of the children involved in my case.
i. All expenses incurred during my legal matter were reasonable and affordable.
Clear selection

13. Did you encounter any of the following challenges during your legal interaction? (Select all that apply)

14.  Have you ever been subjected to domestic violence?
Clear selection
15.  If you experienced domestic violence, how would you describe the response from the police?
Clear selection
16.  If you applied for or defended a Domestic Violence Order, how many adjournments occurred before the matter was resolved?
Clear selection

17. Were any allegations of violence made during your case?

If "Yes," proceed to the next question. If "No" or "Prefer not to say," skip to Question 19.

Clear selection

18. Regarding the allegations of violence, please indicate your level of agreement with the following statements:

Strongly Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
a. The allegations were genuine and based on factual events.
b. The allegations were exaggerated or fabricated.
c. Motives other than genuine concern (e.g., gaining advantage in court) influenced the allegations.
d. The court satisfactorily investigated the validity of the allegations.
Clear selection

19. In your opinion, what factors contributed to the allegations being made? (Select all that apply)

20. How did the allegations affect you? (Select all that apply)

21. If you had experience dealing with organisations like Child Protection Services (CPS) or Domestic Violence Crisis Service (DVCS), please indicate your level of agreement with the following statements regarding your experiences with these organizations:

Strongly Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
a. CPS/DVCS treated my case with the same level of concern and urgency as they would for any other gender.
b. The CPS/DVCS staff's assessments and decisions in my case were fair, objective, and free from gender bias.
c. CPS/DVCS interventions in my case were based on thorough, impartial investigations.
d. The CPS/DVCS treated all genders involved in your case equally.
Clear selection

22. What was the approximate total cost of your legal expenses for your case(s), including fees for filing, court costs, transcripts, lawyer charges, and any other related expenses?

Clear selection

23. Do you believe the legal expenses you incurred were justifiable?

Clear selection

24. Did you feel that the legal professionals involved prioritized fair outcomes over their financial gain?

Clear selection

25. Please indicate your level of agreement with the following statements regarding the conduct of the judge(s) in your case:

Strongly Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
a. The judge acted impartially and without bias.
b. The judge appropriately followed legal principles and precedents established by higher courts.
c. The judge exercised judicial discretion fairly and reasonably.
d. The judge made asset division orders were just and equitable.
e. The judge's conduct sent a positive message to the community about the integrity of the legal system.
f. I felt that the judge's decisions/actions were unjust or inappropriate in my case.
g. The judge appeared to favor one party over the other without valid legal reason.
h. The judge adequately protected the best interests of the child(ren).
i. The judge should be held accountable or face consequences for his/her conduct in my case.
Clear selection

26. In your opinion, did the judge's conduct in your case involve any of the following? (Select all that apply)

27. In your opinion, should the judges who fail to exercise their duties to administer justice face consequences (e.g., disqualification, disciplinary action)?

Clear selection

28. Please share any additional comments about the judge's conduct in your case and its impact on your perception of the legal system: (Open-ended)

Section C: Perceptions of the Legal System

Purpose: To gauge general perceptions of the legal system, including fairness, bias, and accessibility.

29. Please indicate your level of agreement with the following statements:

Strongly Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
a. The Australian legal system is fair and impartial.
b. Procedural fairness is consistently upheld in legal proceedings.
c. Support services are equally accessible and fair to all individuals.
d. Legal costs are a significant barrier to justice.
e. Litigants are treated fairly and justly, regardless of their gender.
f. False accusations are a significant issue within the legal system.
g. The legal system effectively distinguishes between genuine and false allegations of violence.
h. Perjury is a significant problem in legal proceedings and often goes unpunished.
i. The legal system needs significant reform to address current injustices.
j. The legal system adequately considers the best interests of children in custody cases.
k. The legal system provides adequate protection for genuine victims of domestic violence.
l. The legal system is equipped to handle cases involving coercive control and emotional abuse.
Clear selection

30. In your opinion, what are the most significant challenges facing the Australian legal system today? (Open-ended)

31. Please indicate your level of agreement with the following statements about judges in lower courts (mainly magistrates and family/federal circuit court judges) in Australia:

Strongly Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
a. Judges in lower courts follow decisions of higher courts as required.
b. Judges sometimes act beyond their authority, impacting fair outcomes.
c. Judge(s), dealing with your case(s), may undermine social order through inappropriate favoritism, benefiting perpetrators or wrongdoers and penalizing responsible individuals.
d. Judicial misconduct is a significant issue within the Australian legal system.
e. There are adequate mechanisms in place to hold judges accountable for their conduct.
f. Judicial discretion is always exercised in the boundaries of fairness and reasonableness.
g. The public can have confidence in the judge(s) to administer justice.
Clear selection

Section D: Knowledge and Accessibility of Support Services

Purpose: To assess awareness of legal rights and perceptions of support services.

32. How familiar are you with specific legal rights relevant to your case under Australian law? (e.g., custody, property division, etc.)

Clear selection

33. Are you aware of support services available for individuals involved in legal proceedings (e.g., Legal Aid, community legal centres)?

Clear selection

34. Support services are accessible, useful, and unbiased. Please indicate your level of agreement.

Clear selection
Section E: Final Thoughts

Purpose: To gather additional comments and suggestions.

35. What are the long-term impacts (positive or negative) of the legal ruling on your life? (Open-ended)

36. What steps do you believe could improve the fairness and effectiveness of the legal system? (Open-ended)

37. Do you have any additional comments or experiences you'd like to share regarding the legal system? (Open-ended)

Thank you very much for completing this important survey about your experiences with legal proceedings in Australia, to address serious concerns on social justice, including the conduct of courts, treatment of litigants, child custody issues, and matters related to domestic violence and false accusations.  

Thank you for making your voice heard!
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