Projects

The Attorney General has asked us to consider the sufficiency of existing NSW offences relating to unlawful injury and death of infants and children.              We’ve been asked to consider if the law needs to change to address situations where it's clear that:

• an infant or child’s injuries were not accidental, and
• at least one parent or caregiver was present when the injuries occurred.

Please visit the project page for further information.

The Attorney General has asked the Law Reform Commission to review the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (NSW) (ADA). The terms of reference set out the scope of the review.

Please visit our ADA review project page for further information.

• Serious road crime (2022-2025)
• Serious racial and religious vilification (2024 - 2024)
• Bail: Show cause offences and the unacceptable risk test (2022 - 2022)
• Open Justice: Court and tribunal information: access, disclosure and publication (2019 - 2022)
• Consent in relation to sexual offences (2018 - 2020)

• Access to digital records upon death or incapacity (2018 - 2019)
• Statutory provisions on dispute resolution (2013 - 2018)
• Review of the Guardianship Act 1987 (2015 - 2018)
• Laws relating to beneficiaries of trusts (2017 - 2018)
• Third party c​laims on insurance money​​​ (2016 - 2016)
• Parole (2013 - 2015)
• Encouraging appropriate early guilty pleas (2013 - 2014)
• Criminal appeals (2013 - 2014)
• Sentencing (2011 - 2013)
• People with cognitive and mental health impairments and the criminal justice system (2007 - 2013)
• Security for costs and associated costs orders (2009 - 2013)
• Jury directions in criminal trials (2007 - 2013)
• Bail (2011 - 2012)
• Penalty notice offences (2008 - 2012)
• Compensation to relatives (2010 - 2011)
• Cheating at gambling (2011 - 2011)
• Complicity in criminal cases (2007 - 2010)
• Family violence (2009 - 2010)
• Protecting privacy (2006 - 2010)
• Access to personal information (2008 - 2010)

• Uniform Succession Laws (1995 - 2009)
• Emergency medical care and the restricted right to practice (2008 - 2009)
• Workplace deaths (2008 - 2009)
• Young people and consent to health care (2002 - 2008)
• Sentencing people with cognitive or mental health impairments (2007)
• Review of s 32 of the Mental Health (Criminal Procedure) Act 1990 (2007)
• Jury service (2006 - 2007)
• Disputes in company title home units (2006 - 2007)
• Role of juries in sentencing (2005 - 2007)
• Jurors (2002 - 2006)
• Relationships and the law (1999 - 2006)
• Third Party Guarantees (1999 - 2006)
• Majority verdicts by juries (2004 - 2005)
• Expert witnesses (2004 - 2005)
• Review of the Evidence Act 1995 (2004 - 2005)
• Community Justice Centres (2002 - 2005)
• Surveillance (1996 - 2005)
• Time limits on loans payable on demand (2004 - 2004)
• Questioning of complainants by unrepresented accused in sexual offence trials (2002 - 2003)
• Apprehended violence orders (2002 - 2003)
• Contempt by Publication (1998 - 2003)
• Review of Sentencing Laws (1994 - 2003)
• Review of Part 10 of the Legal Profession Act 1987 (NSW) (2000 - 2001)
• The Rule in Pigot's Case (1998 - 2001)
• Review of the law of set-off (1997 - 2000)
• Review of the right to silence (1997 - 2000)

• Review of the Disability Services Act 1993 and the Community Services (Complaints, Appeals and Monitoring) Act 1993 (1998 - 1999)
• Review of section 316 of the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) (1997 - 1999)
• Review of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (1991 - 1999)
• Contribution Between Persons Liable for the Same Damage (1985 - 1999)
• Interlocutory procedures: discovery and interrogatories (1998)
• Review of section 409B of the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) (1996 - 1998)
• Circulation of Legal Advice to Government (1996 - 1998)
• Neighbour and Neighbour Relations (1987 - 1998)
• Partial Defences to Murder: Provocation, Diminished Responsibility and Infanticide (1993 - 1997)
• Review of the Adoption of Children Act 1965 (1992 - 1997)
• The Right to Support from Adjoining Land (1991 - 1997)
• Directed Verdicts of Acquittal (1995 - 1996)
• People with an Intellectual Disability and the Criminal Justice System (1991 - 1996)
• Provisional Damages (1990 - 1996)
• Torrens Title: Compensation for Loss (1988 - 1996)
• Industrial Relations (1995)
• Defamation (1992-1995)
• Barristers’ Practising Certificates (1992-1994)
• Blasphemy (1991-1994)
• Unilateral Severance of Joint Tenancy (1990-1994)
• Common Law Crime (1991-1994)
• Scrutiny of the Legal Profession (1991-1993)
• Review of the Adoption Information Act 1990 (1991-1992)
• Personal Property Securities (1990-1992)
• Wills for Persons Lacking Will-Making Capacity (1987-1992)
• Environmental Law (1991)
• Alternative Dispute Resolution: Training and Accreditation of Mediators (1988-1991)
• Rule in Bain v Fothergill (1987-1990)
• Criminal Procedure (1982-1990)

• Informed Consent to Medical Treatment (1987-1989)
• Representations as to Credit (1986 -1989)
• Dividing Fences (1986 -1988)
• Disposal of Uncollected Goods (1986-1988)
• Jurisdiction of Local Courts over Foreign Land (1986-1988)
• Registration and Certification of Births and Deaths (1985 -1990)
• Liability for Dogs (1985 -1988)
• Artificial Conception (1983 -1988)
• Evidence (1966 -1988)
• Co-operative Law Reform Projects (Standing Reference) (1987)
• Liability of Highway Authorities for Non-repair (1985 -1987)
• Recovery of Payments Made Under Mistake of Law (1985-1987)
• Sale of Goods (1966 -1987)
• Limitation of Actions (1984 -1986)
• Wills: Execution and Revocation (1983 -1986)
• Attachment of Moneys Deposited with Building Societies and Credit Unions (1983 -1985)
• Employees’ Liability (1984)
• Conscientious Objection to Jury Service (1984)
• Passing of Risk Between Vendor and Purchaser of Land (1983 -1984)
• Recording of Court Proceedings (1982 -1984)
• Accident Compensation (1981-1984)
• Legal Profession (1976 -1984)
• Local Courts Act (1983)
• Service of Civil Process on Sunday (1982 -1983)
• Interest on Debts (1982 -1983)
• Insurance Contracts (1982 -1983)
• De Facto Relationships (1981-1983)
• Unincorporated Associations (1977-1982)

• Procedure (1973 -1978)
• Ethnic Groups (1978)
• Testator’s Family Maintenance (1966 -1977)
• Perpetuities and Accumulations (1973 -1976)
• Frustrated Contracts (1973 -1976)
• Arbitration of Civil Disputes (1971-1976)
• The Courts (1974 -1976)
• Sale of Land on Terms (1975)
• Persons Under Disability and the Management of their Affairs (1972 -1975)
• Supreme Court Act Review (1971-1975)
• Powers of Attorney (1971-1975)
• Coroners (1967-1975)
• Crown Proceedings (1967-1975)
• Limitation of Actions (1967-1975)
• Special Constables (1971-1974)
• Share Options (1972)
• Appeals in Administration (1966 -1972)
• Corporations (1971)
• Defamation (1966 -1971)
• Statute Law Revision (1966 -1971)
• Covenants in Restraint of Trade (1969 -1970)
• Liability for Animals (1967-1970)

• Infancy in relation to contracts and property (1966 -1969)
• Claims for Personal Injury (1966 -1969)
• Supreme Court Procedure (1966 -1969)
• Occupiers’ Liability (1967-1969)
• Covenants Affecting Land (1968)
• Contracts and the Conflict of Laws (1968)
• Mortgages of Personalty (1968)
• Options in Leases (1967-1968)
• Application of Imperial Acts (1966 -1967)
• Law of Contract (1966)
• Interpretation Act (1966)
• Legal Practitioners Act (1966)
• Habeas Corpus (1966)