NRS-3473 | Depositions [Tweed Heads 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, 19951960-61 ( 19/116-20), 1962-65 (19/547-50, 19/365-69), Nov 1965-Dec 1967 (Armidale 35/78 part-84.1), 1968 (Armidale 35/53-55), 1969-70 (Armidale 35/93-106 part), 13 Jan 1971-27 Dec 1972 (Armidale 35/128 part-142), 28 Dec 1972-27 Dec 1973 (Armidale 35/165-170.1), 1974 (Armidale 35/202-06), 1975 (Armidale 35/219-26), 1978 (Armidale 35/287.2-292.1). 16 Jan - 27 Dec 1980 (Armidale 35/324.2-332.1)1981 (Armidale 35/375-383.1), 1982 (35/406-415) 105 boxes (part).

本档案集收录的是某法院管辖范围内轻罪刑事案件与小额民事申诉案件的诉讼文书。案件按法院收案顺序编号并/或登记，不过通常案件开庭审理前会间隔一段时间。
最初，档案按年度流水号编排，其中起诉案件与传票案件各自拥有独立的编号序列。档案依该编号排序，因此也大致按时间顺序排列，这一编排方式持续至20世纪50年代。
自20世纪50年代起，每起案件均分配带有字母前缀的流水号，档案按该编号归档，不受案件实际开庭时间影响。此种编排方式在20世纪60年代再次发生变更。
每日的诉讼档案会被捆扎成卷，卷首通常附有当日待审案件清单。该清单详细记录案件编号（通常为当日编号）、被告人姓名、涉案罪名、告发人姓名及裁判结果。后期的清单还会补充被告人出生日期、录音带编号及柜台编号等信息。
案件按类别登记，类别包括：起诉案件（新案与还押案件）、传票案件、儿童法庭案件、典狱长法庭案件、牌照法庭案件、酒类法庭案件、小额债务纠纷，以及工业治安法庭案件。规模更大、业务更繁忙的法院通常会将交通违法案件单独成卷。部分法院还留存有治安法官审理的案件记录，此类案件多与醉酒滋事相关。
单起案件的档案材料通常包括：起诉与传票文书、提交法庭的证据陈述书、庭审笔录草稿、逮捕登记表与警方讯问记录、量刑前调查报告、保释文书、社区服务令、向上级法院提起上诉的通知、令状、讯问笔录、庭审记录、宣誓证词、传票、定罪证明书、事故报告、通用情报文书、有害动植物通报书、声明书、往来函件、收据、传票申请书、语言适配文书、指纹记录、证物记录，偶附证物本身，以及与罚金及具结担保相关的担保文书。
1974年起，乡村治安法院（Courts of Petty Sessions）开始对庭审过程进行录音。自此之后，仅在特定情形下才会对案件庭审进行笔录转录：包括需移交上级法院审理的预审案件、拟提起上诉的案件，或案件任一当事方提出庭审记录副本申请的情形。
此前完整的纸质档案开始被起诉与传票文书、特定案件的庭审转录笔录，以及庭审录音所取代。
1980年，官方批准继续销毁庭审录音带（注释1）；1995年，官方批准1983年及之后的证词笔录无需再作为州级档案留存（注释2）。
注释 (1) 新南威尔士州档案管理局。《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
1960-1961年（19/116-20），1962-1965年（19/547-50、19/365-69），1965年11月-1967年12月（阿米代尔35/78 部分-84.1），1968年（阿米代尔35/53-55），1969-1970年（阿米代尔35/93-106 部分），1971年1月13日-1972年12月27日（阿米代尔35/128 部分-142），1972年12月28日-1973年12月27日（阿米代尔35/165-170.1），1974年（阿米代尔35/202-06），1975年（阿米代尔35/219-26），1978年（阿米代尔35/287.2-292.1）。1980年1月16日-1980年12月27日（阿米代尔35/324.2-332.1），1981年（阿米代尔35/375-383.1），1982年（35/406-415） 共105盒（部分馆藏）。