What happens after the case is committed to the District Court or Supreme Court?

After the committal process, the DPP has to give the District Court or Supreme Court an indictment within 6 months – this is called an indictment presentation. It is usually a brief mention of the case and might be over in a few minutes. The Victim Liaison Officer will tell you when this happens.

The indictment states the formal charges that the prosecutor is prosecuting. You do not need to be at the indictment presentation at court but you can if you choose to.

Once the indictment is presented, the defence tells the court whether the case needs to be listed for a trial (if the defendant is going to plead not guilty) or for a sentence (if the defendant is going to plead guilty). This might not happen straight away or at the indictment presentation. Sometimes the defence or prosecution need time to deal with issues or further prepare their case.

The Victim Liaison Officer will let you know about any updates in the progress of the case, including whether the defendant is going to plead guilty or not guilty. If you don’t have a support person after an indictment presentation and the defendant indicates they are pleading not guilty, it might be a good time to find some support. PACT can support you early in the process – even if your trial might be months away.

You might also hear your Victim Liaison Officer talk to you about or give you information about Victim Impact Statements at this stage. Click here to find out more about Victim Impact Statements.