Western Australian Current Acts

CRIMINAL PROCEDURE ACT 2004 - SECT 39

39 .         Initial procedure

                When or as soon as practicable after an accused’s first appearance in a court on an indictable charge, the court, before requiring the accused to plead to the charge, must —

            (a)         be satisfied the accused has a copy of the prosecution notice containing the charge and has had time to consider the notice and seek legal advice about it; and

            (b)         be satisfied the accused understands the charge and the purpose of the proceedings; and

            (c)         cause the accused to be given an approved notice explaining the procedures in this Part; and

            (d)         if the prosecutor has already served the accused with the material referred to in section 35(4) —

                  (i)         if the charge is an either way charge — proceed in accordance with section 40; or

                  (ii)         if the charge is not an either way charge — proceed in accordance with section 41;

                and

            (e)         if the prosecutor has not served the accused with the material referred to in section 35(4) —

                  (i)         proceed in accordance with section 35(10); and

                  (ii)         if the material is subsequently served, proceed in accordance with paragraph (d).