**what it is: r**ecommended in various submissions (including the DPP) made to the Victorian Law Reform Commission (VLRC) as part of its current inquiry into whether committal proceedings should be abolished = due to result in a report in March 2020.
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**effect on victims and prosecution:** On one hand, in terms of fairness, abolishing committal proceedings avoids __victims__ being cross-examined twice, avoiding victims __not__ wanting to state their case in court. This ensures the hearing rule is upheld. On other hand, abolishing committal proceedings reduces the time given for prosecution to determine how to present their case (hearing rule). In terms of equality, abolishing committal proceedings avoids __victims__ being cross-examined twice, which avoids further trauma and disadvantage on vulnerable witnesses. In terms of access, abolishing committal proceedings avoids victims being cross-examines twice, which avoids trauma faced by that serving as a barrier that prevents victims from pursuing their case in court. However, abolishing committal proceedings reduces the time given for prosecution to determine how to pursue their case in court.
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**effect on accused:** On one hand, abolishing committal proceedings upholds fairness for self-represented __accused persons__ who may struggle to prepare their own case without representation in such processes. On the other hand, abolishing committal proceedings also removes the accused’s opportunity to hear the prosecution’s evidence against them, and prepare their own if legally represented. In terms of equality, abolishing committal proceedings reduces the extent to which disadvantages are faced by self represented accused persons who cannot adequately understand or navigate the complexity of committal proceedings, compared to legally represented accused persons. However, abolishing committal proceedings can result in cases __not being dismissed__, which could increase the __disadvantage__ experienced by __self-represented accused__ persons who will need to defend themselves against more charges.
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**effect on VCJS:** On one hand, abolishing committal proceedings when the prosecution’s evidence is strong saves time, money and resources otherwise spent in the proceedings, which avoids evidentiary issues in other cases that are unreasonably delayed and thus unfair. On the other hand, abolishing committal proceedings when the prosecution’s case is weak wastes time on cases likely to be acquitted, increasing chances of evidentiary issues in cases of more strength in evidence, which is unfair. In terms of access, abolishing committal proceedings when the prosecution’s evidence is strong saves the time, money and resources otherwise spent in the proceedings, avoiding holding up other people’s ability to pursue their cases and access the VCJS. However, abolishing committal proceedings when the prosecution’s case is weak would waste money and time, due to the state having to pay for a trial that was likely to be acquitted, holding up other people’s ability to pursue their cases and access the VCJS.