NRS-3104 | Depositions [Kyogle 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) 1959-61 (Kingswood 19/586 part), Jul 1964-Nov 1968 (Armidale 35/75.3-78 part), Sep 1971-Dec 1973 (Armidale 35/163.2-164.2), 18 Jan 1977-7 Dec 1979 (Armidale 35/292.2-295.1). 11 boxes (part). Endnotes (1) Archives Authority of NSW. Disposal Recommendation DR 2517, 1980. (2) Archives Authority of NSW. Disposal Recommendation DR 5342, 1995.(3) Concise Guide to the State Archives of New South Wales, 3rd Edition 2000. Notes relating to this description This description was based on the items that cover the years 1964 to 1981. There may be differences or special features of records outside this period that are not included in this description.

本批档案为某法院管辖轻微刑事案件与小额民事申诉案件的诉讼案卷。案件按法院收案顺序编号并/或列档，但通常案件开庭审理前会间隔一段时间。早期案卷采用年度流水号，起诉案件与传票案件分别独立编号。案卷依该编号排序，因此大致也按时间顺序排列，这一编排方式延续至20世纪50年代。

20世纪50年代起，每起案件被赋予带有字母前缀的流水号，案卷依该编号归档，不再受案件实际开庭时间的影响。这一编排方式在20世纪60年代再次发生变更：当日待审案件被装订为卷宗，通常以当日开庭案件清单作为卷宗首页。该清单详细列明案件编号（通常为当日专属编号）、被告人姓名、罪名、举报人姓名及案件处理结果。后期的清单还补充了被告人出生日期、录音带编号与柜台编号等信息。

案件按类别列档，类别包括：起诉案件（新案与还押案件）、传票案件、少年法庭案件、狱政法庭案件、许可法庭案件、酒类法庭案件、小额债权事项以及工业治安法官法庭案件。规模更大、业务更繁忙的法院通常会单独设立交通案件专属卷宗。部分法院还留存有太平绅士（Justices of the Peace）审理案件的记录，此类案件多与醉酒相关。

单起案件的档案材料可包括：起诉与传票文书、提交法庭的证据陈述、庭审笔录草稿、逮捕表格与警方讯问记录、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、通用信息文书、有害动植物通报、声明文件、往来函件、收据、传票申请、语言能力证明表格、指纹记录、证物记录，偶有证物实物，以及与罚款及具结保证书相关的担保文书。

1974年起，乡村治安法院（Court of Petty Sessions）开始对庭审过程进行录音。此后，仅在三类特定情形下才会制作部分案件的庭审笔录：一是需提交上级法院审理的交付审判案件，二是拟提起上诉的案件，三是案件任意一方当事人申请获取庭审记录副本的情形。此前完整的纸质档案开始逐步被起诉与传票文书、特定案件的庭审笔录以及庭审录音所取代。

1980年，官方批准销毁庭审录音（1）；1995年，官方批准1983年起的证言笔录无需再作为州级档案留存（2）。涉及的具体档案时间段与编号如下：1959-1961年（金斯伍德19/586 部分档案）、1964年7月-1968年11月（阿米代尔35/75.3-78 部分档案）、1971年9月-1973年12月（阿米代尔35/163.2-164.2）、1977年1月18日-1979年12月7日（阿米代尔35/292.2-295.1），共计11箱（部分档案）。

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。
(3) 《新南威尔士州档案简明指南》第三版，2000年。

本说明基于1964年至1981年的档案条目编制，此时间段外的档案可能存在本说明未涵盖的差异或特殊特征。