Michal Mantaj
What is a Court Attendance Notice A Court Attendance Notice (CAN) is an official document notifying you and the court that police have charged you with a criminal offence. This document provides important information about your charge, including What crime you have been charged with. A very brief description of the allegation against you. The…
Read MoreAs a rule, I would not suggest that anyone take legal advice from an Indie Rock Band, but the above line from the “better get a lawyer” by the Cruel Sea is an exception to that rule. Not only does it emphasize the importance of legal representation but, importantly, it also recognises that not all…
Read MoreIt is trite to observe that the Local Court of NSW is, by far, the busiest criminal jurisdiction of all NSW Courts. According to the Bureau of Statistic, in 2018 the NSW Local Court finalised 128,932 criminal cases. By comparison, the higher jurisdictions combined finalised a comparatively modest 4897 criminal cases in the same year.…
Read Morehttps://youtu.be/gLbHRIc54ao Watch Michal Mantaj, Accredited Specialist in Criminal Law, Senior Trial Advocate and Director at Conditsis Lawyers, provide insight into the new drug orders recently passed by parliament on the NSW North Coast.
Read MoreA new law recently passed by the NSW parliament is going to make it even more difficult for defendants who cannot afford a lawyer to defend themselves. The law is part of a suite of reforms aimed at making it easier for complainants (alleged victims) in domestic violence (DV) cases to give evidence in a…
Read MoreThis paper discusses some ways in which traffic offences can be defended. It is intended to be a practical guide for traffic law practitioners who daily advise and represent individuals charged with the commission of traffic offences. It is not, and does not pretend to be, an academic treatises. It argues no particular position and…
Read Morehttps://youtu.be/VsfANOB0x_U Mobile Phone Detection Cameras to start targeting Sydney drivers by the end of the year. Conditsis Lawyers Director, Mr. Michal Mantaj at the Inquiry Into Road Transport Amendment (Mobile Phone Detection) Bill 2019 said at The Parliament House: “If I’m holding this glass while driving and my picture is taken, the law says, by…
Read Morehttps://youtu.be/DyWZg9haa64 Michal Mantaj is a Trial Advocate, Accredited Criminal Law Specialist and Director at Conditsis Lawyers.Mobile phone detection cameras started targeting phone use across NSW on December 1st 2019. The system uses artificial intelligence to automatically review images and detect offending drivers. “The problem with these cameras is the in NSW is not so much…
Read Morehttps://youtu.be/zftUSuOijWc Michal Mantaj Remarks during 7NEWS segment.
Read MoreThe debate over how to deal with cannabis use is back in the headlines again, courtesy of the ACT Government. In September of 2019 the ACT Government passed laws decriminalising the possession of small amounts of cannabis and cultivation of small numbers of cannabis plants. This approach to the problem of cannabis use has generated…
Read Morehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktDmKnif4Hg 7News featuring Conditsis Lawyers Director, Michal Mantaj – discussing the soon-to-be constructed Mobile Phone Detection Cameras on NSW roads, and implementation of the new legislation to go with them.
Read MoreIt is time that we, as a society, stopped treating on-field violence by sport stars as being immune from criminal prosecution and held athletes accountable for their actions in the same way as the rest of us. This weekend’s round of NRL saw yet another ugly brawl between players during the Sea Eagles v Storm…
Read MoreIn a recent decision, the NSW Supreme Court clarified what is meant by driving under the influence. What is DUI? Many people use the term “DUI” as an umbrella term to refer to all kinds of drink driving charges. This is not technically correct. In law, there are two kinds of drink driving charges, DUI…
Read MoreIf a person decides to make a claim against a deceased person’s estate seeking a greater share in the deceased’s property, that person will need to provide information to the Court to show that they have needs that have not been adequately provided for by the deceased. Additionally, a person will need to provide information…
Read MoreOn 1 July 2017, amendments made to the Retail Leases Act 1994 (NSW) came into effect that will impact landlords and tenants of retail premises. The leasing of retail premises is governed and affected by numerous legislative and regulatory requirements. The Retail Leases Act 1994 (NSW) (the Act) overrides any provision of a lease that…
Read MoreIn contracts for off the plan purchases, clauses are often included that provide for either party to end the contract in the event that the unit being purchased is not complete by a sunset date. In 2015, the media reported that developers were exploiting these sunset clauses by ending the contract, then re‑selling the property…
Read MoreFrom 1 September 2017, contracts for sale of residential land will need to be updated to include new documents and meet new disclosure requirements. Before residential property can be sold, a vendor is required to prepare a contract for sale that: discloses information about a property’s title, its zoning, sewerage, any rights of ways…
Read MoreHousing affordability, rising house prices and high levels of home loan indebtedness are topics that have received much public comment in the media. In the 2017–18 Budget, the Government announced the “Reducing Pressure on Housing Affordability – first home super saver scheme. There are currently four bills before the Federal Parliament to implement tax measures…
Read MorePCA (Proscribed Concentration of Alcohol) charges are rarely defended. There are a number of very good reasons for this fact. For one thing, in most cases there is no reasonable prospect of a successful defence. The system for the detection, documentation and prosecution of PCA offences is so finely tuned that there is often no…
Read MoreWhen Police are investigating an allegation that you have committed a criminal offence, they will usually invite you to participate in an interview with them about the allegations. Deciding whether or not to accept this invitation can be one of the most difficult and important decisions you will need to make. Here are some things…
Read MoreGoing to Court can be a frightening and overwhelming experience. Below are some tips outlining Court etiquette and procedures. Ensure you are well dressed and presented as a mark of respect. Always arrive at least five minutes early (unless you are otherwise advised). Sunglasses or hats are not to be worn in the courtroom. Do not…
Read MoreThe Federal Government has recently announced that it intends to make new encryption laws to force tech companies to provide law enforcement authorities with assistance to intercept and decrypt communications. While little else is known concerning the details of these proposed laws, the language which the Prime Minister and the Attorney General have used to…
Read MoreThe Federal Attorney General’s Department has announced a National Firearms Amnesty aimed at reducing the number of unregistered firearms in our community, to run from 1 July to 30 September 2017. The amnesty allows anyone with an unregistered firearm to either register, sell or dispose of it, including its accessories, without penalty or risk of…
Read MoreIf you’re charged with drink driving, you may receive advice that the easiest thing to do is plead guilty. Depending on your prescribed concentration of alcohol or PCA, your driving history and what led to your arrest, an experienced lawyer may advise the smart choice is to plead guilty and try to reduce the punishment.…
Read MoreIf you’re charged with a drink driving offence, you need to take it seriously. Acting quickly to get advice from an expert traffic lawyer could mean the difference between receiving a fine, losing your licence or even a stint in jail. Depending on your case, your lawyer may recommend using the two hour rule as…
Read MoreThis paper will cover two separate topics which, it is hoped, are of interest and practical utility to criminal law practitioners. As is necessitated by the allocated time, and no doubt much to the relief of the audience, the focus of this paper will be inexorably practical and pragmatic. In deference to the undoubtedly substantial…
Read MoreA good character reference is an important part of a client’s case and will help a lawyer to persuade the Court to extend as much leniency as possible to the individual on trial. Download Our Guide to Writing an Effective Reference Template The functions of an effective character reference are: To show the Court that,…
Read MoreIntroduction Being convicted of a drink driving charge can potentially have devastating consequences for both you and your family. It begins with a loss of your driver’s licence. For some people that is merely an inconvenience, however for others -who rely on their licence to maintain their employment- it can be a disaster. It can…
Read MoreThis paper, and the presentation which it accompanies, will cover three distinct areas of the criminal law, specifically: drink driving, drugs and domestic violence.
Read MoreThere is one way in which even though you plead guilty to a criminal offence, you can actually avoid those consequences following from that plea of guilty.
Read MoreHere are some guidelines to the most important things that you need to think about that will determine whether or not you will get a Section 10.
Read MoreWhat the court will want to know is why the offence was committed. You need to have a think about what it is that led you to the behaviour that…
Read MoreNow let me go on to the last topic & that is perhaps for most people a very important topic and that is how Section 10s work together with criminal records.
Read MoreThere’s a common misconception that if you are charged with a drink driving offence, there is only 1 option: plead guilty. This is wrong, and here is why.
Read MoreThe 2 hour rule is simply states that the police have a 2 hour window between the time that you drive and the time that the breath analysis is conducted.
Read MoreThis paper deals with the offences of assault, affray and, as a separate topic, the defence of self-defence (with a particular focus on its application to assault and affray charges).
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