NSW Law Week ... it is law week every week at the Rule of Law Education Centre
his week, NSW is celebrating Law Week with a range of events to help people understand their rights, the law, the legal system and the legal profession. But here at the Rule of Law Education Centre, every week is Law Week!
Each week, we take hundreds of school students around the Sydney Courts. It is through this first-hand experience that they see their rights, the law and legal system in action. Where available, Judges speak to students before the courts open. Many Judges are brave and open the floor to the teenager’s questions. They are asked:
“What was the hardest case you have decided on?”, “Have you ever regretted a decision?”, “How much are you paid?”, “What car do you drive?”, “Have you ever taken a bribe?”, “Do you ever get too hot in that gown?”, and “Is the wig itchy?”
The judges answer these questions with humour and grace. They are conversations marked by openness and transparency. They know that these conversations with school students will demystify the law and develop trust in the legal system.
Recently, a District Court judge was speaking to students and did something powerful—something that will linger in the minds of the students. Holly, a facilitator at the Rule of Law Education Centre, described the moment:
“Students witnessed the judge’s incredible compassion and humility. At one point, she stepped down from the bench and sat in the dock—a place reserved for the accused. The room fell silent. In that moment, students wondered if she shifted her perspective. Had she felt the unease, the vulnerability, or the weight of those stares from the public gallery? For just a few moments, every student in that courtroom paused with her.”
The Judge and her associate had also created a student resource based on one of her current cases and organised for the students to take turns sitting in the dock, jury box and witness box as she outlined the laws behind the case. When the real court session began, the students moved back to the public gallery and saw their seats replaced with real jurors, real barristers and a real victim sitting in the witness box.
The victim was a homeless man, and he was giving evidence. His head was in his hands, and he was visibly unwell. At this sight, the judge gently dismissed the jury and checked in on the man to ensure he was well enough to continue. The students watched in silence, witnessing firsthand as the judge showed not just procedural fairness, but quiet, deep human care to provide justice for all.
This is how we celebrate Law Week.. every week.
We help students understand the law and the legal system- and we show it to them first-hand. It is not pretty at times, but it is based on age-old principles that aim to protect our rights and provide justice for all.
