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04related terms
May 2026reviewed
In detail
How hand-up brief works in practice.
A hand-up brief is a committal procedure under the Criminal Procedure Act 2009 (Vic) where the prosecution's witness statements are handed to the court as exhibits, rather than the witnesses attending to give evidence in person. It is the standard procedure for most committal hearings in Victoria. The accused may consent to the hand-up brief procedure or, for certain witnesses, may apply to cross-examine them at the committal. The hand-up brief streamlines the committal process and reduces delay in serious criminal matters.
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