This provision has not been checked by a human. The text below was read automatically from the official PDF and has not yet been verified against it, so it may differ from the provision as published — in its wording, its numbering, or where one provision ends and the next begins. For the authorised text, see legislation.vic.gov.au.
Act index » Chapter 5 - Trial on indictment » Part 5.7 - Trial » Division 4 - Opening addresses
225 Response of accused to prosecution opening
How this provision has changed across versions can't be shown yet: the versions of this Act held here were read by different versions of the parser, and comparing them would report the parsers' own disagreements as amendments. Re-parse every version to restore it.
(1)In all trials before a jury, immediately after the prosecutor's opening, the accused—
(a)if represented by a legal practitioner, must present;
(b)if not represented by a legal practitioner, may present—
to the jury the response of the accused to the prosecution opening prepared in accordance with Part 5.5.
(2)If documents have been served and filed by the defence under Part 5.5, the accused is restricted to the matters set out in those documents when presenting the response of the accused to the prosecution opening, unless the trial judge considers that there are exceptional circumstances.
(3)For the purposes of subsection (2), a change of legal practitioner does not constitute exceptional circumstances.
(4)Despite subsection (2), the accused is not restricted to a verbatim presentation of the response of the accused to the summary of the prosecution opening as served and filed under Part 5.5.
(5)The trial judge may limit the length of the response of the accused.