Can you bring other people?

17.1Who can come

Support

Anyone. The Local Court is open, and family and friends sit in the public gallery. They cannot speak for you, sit at the bar table, or approach the Judge. Their presence does two things. It steadies you. And it shows the court that people who know you have turned up, which is a small, real piece of evidence about your character.

One or two people is right. A row of six looks like an audience. A partner and a parent, or a parent and a friend, is the usual shape.

17.2Bringing a referee

When it helps

If one of your reference writers can attend, ask them to, and mention it in submissions: "Your Honour, [name], who wrote the second reference, is in court today." It converts a piece of paper into a person who was willing to stand behind it. Employers rarely can. A friend or family referee usually can. Do not ask the referee to speak; the Judge will not call on them and the request signals you do not know the procedure.

17.3Conduct in the gallery

Rules

Tell your support people the rules before the day, because their conduct reflects on you. Phones off. No talking, no whispering, no reacting to anything said about you or anyone else. No food or drink. Stand when the Judge enters and leaves. Bow briefly to the bench on entering and leaving the courtroom. If a support person cannot sit through other matters in silence, they should wait outside and come in when your name is called.

If the Judge says something hard, your support person's job is to show nothing. That is for later, in the car.