NRS-3112 | Depositions [Lismore Court of Petty Sessions]

These papers are those of the proceedings of the Court, in its jurisdiction over less serious criminal matters and minor civil complaints. Cases are numbered and / or listed as they are received by the Court although usually some time elapses before a case is heard. Initially the papers were given an annual running number with charge and summons cases being numbered in separate sequences. The papers are arranged by these numbers and therefore also roughly arranged by date. This arrangement continues until the 1950s. From that time each case was given a running number with an alphabetical prefix. The papers are filed by this number regardless of when the case is heard. The arrangement changes again in the 1960s. Papers for each day are tied into bundles, which are usually prefaced by a list of the cases set down to be heard that day. The list details case number (usually a daily number), name of defendant, offence, name of informant, and result. In later years it also gives the date of birth of the defendant, tape number and counter number. The cases are listed by category which includes: Charge cases (fresh and remand), Summons cases, Children's Court cases, Wardens Court cases, Licensing Court cases, Liquor Court cases, Small Debts matters and Industrial Magistrates Court cases. Larger, busier courts often created whole bundles of traffic matters. Some courts also hold records of cases heard before Justices of the Peace; these often related to drunkenness. Papers for each case may include charge and summons sheets, statements of evidence presented to the Court, bench sheets, arrest forms and police interviews, pre-sentence reports, bail papers, community service orders, notices of appeal to higher courts, warrants, interview transcriptions, records of proceedings, sworn statements, subpoenas, Certificates of convictions, accident reports, information (general purpose) papers, noxious plant and animal notifications, declarations, correspondence, receipts, applications for summons, language sheets, fingerprint records, records of exhibits, occasionally exhibits, surety forms relating to fines and recognisances. After 1974 country Courts of Petty Sessions commenced tape recordings of proceedings. From then transcriptions began to be made of only a number of cases in certain circumstances: committals for trial at a higher Court; if an appeal was to be lodged; or if there was a request for a copy of the proceedings by either of the parties involved. The previous complete paper record began to be replaced by a charge and summons sheet, transcriptions of certain cases, and the tape recordings of proceedings. In 1980 the continuing destruction of the tape recordings was authorised (1) and in 1995 authorisation was given for Depositions 1983 onwards to no longer be required as State archives. (2) Endnotes (1) Archives Authority of NSW. Disposal Recommendation DR 2517, 1980. (2) Archives Authority of NSW. Disposal Recommendation DR 5342, 1995.

这些文件是法院诉讼程序的记录，涉及该院管辖的较轻刑事案件及小额民事申诉。案件在法院收到时即被编号和/或登记，尽管通常需经过一段时间才会开庭审理。最初，文件采用年度流水号编号，其中指控案件与传票案件分属不同序列。文件按此编号排列，因此也大致按日期排序。这种编排方式持续至20世纪50年代。此后，每个案件被赋予带有字母前缀的流水号，文件无论开庭时间均按该编号归档。

编排方式在20世纪60年代再次变更。每日文件被装订成卷，卷首通常附有当日待审案件清单。清单详细记录案件编号（通常为当日编号）、被告人姓名、罪名、举报人姓名及审理结果。后期清单还增列被告人出生日期、录音编号及柜台编号。

案件按类别分类，包括：指控案件（新案及还押案）、传票案件、儿童法院案件、监管官法院案件、许可法院案件、酒类法院案件、小额债务案件及工业治安法院案件。规模较大、业务繁忙的法院通常将交通案件单独装订成卷。部分法院还保存治安法官审理的案件记录，此类案件多与醉酒相关。

每个案件的文件可能包括指控及传票表格、向法院提交的证据陈述、庭审记录单、逮捕表格及警方讯问记录、量刑前报告、保释文件、社区服务令、向上级法院提出的上诉通知、逮捕令、讯问笔录、诉讼记录、宣誓陈述书、传票、定罪证明书、事故报告、通用信息文件、有害动植物通知、声明书、往来函件、收据、传票申请、语言表格、指纹记录、证物记录，偶尔还包括证物本身、与罚款及担保相关的保证表格。

1974年后，乡村小额审判法院（Court of Petty Sessions）开始对诉讼程序进行录音。此后，仅在特定情况下对部分案件进行转录：移交上级法院审判的案件、拟提出上诉的案件，或涉案任何一方要求提供诉讼副本的案件。此前完整的纸质记录开始被指控及传票表格、特定案件的转录文本及诉讼录音所取代。

1980年，持续销毁录音的行为获得批准（1）；1995年，当局批准1983年及以后的证言记录不再作为州级档案保存（2）。

尾注
（1）新南威尔士州档案管理局（Archives Authority of NSW）. 处置建议DR 2517，1980年。
（2）新南威尔士州档案管理局. 处置建议DR 5342，1995年。