At trial, the Magistrate can help you understand the court procedure and the rules of evidence. They can't give you legal advice or help you win your case, but they can explain what is happening and what your options are.
If you listen carefully to the Magistrate, you should be able to follow what is going on.
Each trial will usually follow the same steps (click picture to enlarge):
- the prosecution presents their evidence
- you present your evidence
- you both make submissions about what decisions the magistrate should make about the evidence and the law (closing address), and
- the magistrate gives their verdict.
You can find out more about these steps in the pages below.