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Step by step guide - Preparing for court

Information about how to prepare for court if you are going to plead guilty. 

You should check your court date and time, and the address of the Court. This should be written on your Court Attendance Notice (CAN).

You can also find these details on:

If you need an interpreter at court, you should contact the court registry at least two weeks before the hearing. The Local Court provides free interpreters in criminal cases. For more information, see Translators and interpreters on the Local Court of NSW website.

You should take the following things with you to court:

  • your fine and/or CAN
  • the police fact sheet or other documents you have received
  • your submissions
  • your character references
  • your letter of apology
  • any other relevant evidence
  • a notebook and pen to make notes.
Medical certificates

If you want to tell the Magistrate that you have a particular medical condition, you should take a medical certificate or letter from your doctor.

Traffic Offender Intervention Program certificate

If you have done a course like a Traffic Offender Intervention Program you should take a copy of the certificate showing that you finished that course. A copy of your certificate should be sent directly to the Court, but it is a good idea to take your copy in case the court does not get one.

Evidence of income and assets

It is also a good idea to take evidence of your income and assets, particularly if you want to tell the Magistrate that it would be difficult for you to pay a large fine.

Character references

If you are pleading guilty, it is a good idea to get two or three character references.

Character references are letters written by referees (people) who know you and can write about your good character.

For more information, see Character references.

Apology letter

If you are pleading guilty, it is usually a good idea to write an apology letter to the Court.

An apology letter shows the Court that you:

  • realise the seriousness of the offence
  • are sorry for your actions
  • won’t re-offend.

For more information, see Apology letter.

You should take the original and three copies of any documents, for example character references, you intend to give to the Magistrate. The original will be kept by the Magistrate. You will need to give one copy to the prosecutor, keep one for your records and have a spare.

Before you go to court, you may want to write down the main points you want to tell the Magistrate. The Magistrate will refer to them as your submissions. This may include:

  • the circumstances of the offence
  • your personal history,
  • your education history
  • your employment history
  • your financial circumstances
  • evidence of good character
  • your criminal and driving history
  • remorse
  • the court orders you would like to suggest.

Having notes will stop you from forgetting anything important.

For more information, see Your submissions. 

If you are nervous about speaking to the Magistrate, you can write what you would like to say in a letter and hand it up to the Magistrate. The Magistrate may ask you questions about the information you have included in the letter.

You could practice speaking to the Magistrate with one of your friends or relatives.

You could also go to a Local Court and watch some hearings. If you call the court, you can find out the dates and times that hearings are held. Courts are open to the public (except if a case involves a child) and you can sit in the public area at the back of any court and watch. ​

For more information about what might happen at court, you should watch the video below:
Pleading Guilty and making submissions.

This video is available with the audio​​​ description.​