The Darwin Youth Court will be conducting a mention list for matters where a report has been ordered as to the mental condition of a youth, pursuant to s67 of the Youth Justice Act. The purpose of the mention list is to assist in information sharing between the various services involved.
Section 67 mentions will occur fortnightly on Tuesday mornings at 9.30am commencing 6 May 2025. Services may attend in person at the Darwin Youth Court or via a Teams link.
It is anticipated that representatives from the following services may be required:
- Defence Counsel
- Prosecutions
- Specialist Assessment and Treatment Services
- Department of Children and Families
- Department of Education
- Non-Government report writers
- The Forensic Mental Health Coordinator
When the Court orders a Section 67 report, the matter will be listed for an update mention pursuant to the Youth Justice Proceedings Practice Direction (PD4C). This mention will be heard in the Section 67 list. Children will be excused from attendance.
At the Section 67 mention, the relevant services will provide the Court with information about the progress of the report including whether any material is required from other services and confirming that specialist professionals are available to accept the referral. Based on the information provided, the Court will adjourn the matter to a future Section 67 list date for further update or for return of the final report.
It is anticipated that having a regular Section 67 list will assist stakeholders to efficiently exchange information and minimise court attendances