Legal Research Plan: Analysis of a Queensland District Court Jury Case

This assignment presents a legal research plan designed to guide the process of finding information sources for a case note, focusing on a Queensland District Court jury case. The plan includes analyzing the topic, constructing a search strategy with relevant keywords and alternative terms, and utilizing law databases and other resources to search for secondary source information. It involves evaluating the relevance, expertise, viewpoint, intended audience, evidence, and publication date of selected sources, specifically a looseleaf criminal law commentary service paragraph, a scholarly journal article, and a website resource. The plan also requires summarizing how subsequent cases have treated the prescribed case and reflecting on the research approach, identifying areas of strength and potential for improvement in the legal research process. The case involves Gordon J, facing rape charges, and the jury's challenge in determining consent and guilt, highlighting the importance of procedural fairness and the integrity of the legal process. The research emphasizes the Jury Act 1995 and the limitations posed by individual jury members' perceptions and the need for confidential voting to maintain fairness.

Part A: Research Plan (700 words)
The purpose of the research plan is to guide you through the process of finding useful information
sources for the preparation of your case note. Secondary sources discussing the prescribed case, and
related area of law, will assist your understanding and enable a thorough contextual analysis of the
case. Answers can be provided in dot point format (where appropriate) using the template below.
Adjust the tables as required. Read your assigned case before commencing this part.
1. Analyse the topic and construct a search strategy
a) Briefly outline the scope of this research task, including the jurisdiction, any limitations and
the area of law involved.
This research task will help in the better handling of the operations that are
been taken in consideration by the firm. The Jury law is one of the major law that is
been taken in consideration by the organisation which will help the firm to gain a good
idea about the different sort of cases that are been taken in consideration in the legal
system. The research task will help in the better handling of the operations that are been
taken in consideration by the effective management of the operations that are been
taken for the rectification of this case. The Jury Act 1995, will see through the effective
rise in operations that will support a good management of the operations that will
support a good rise in the understanding of the legal measures that will help in suitable
management of different operations that will help in effective assessment of jurisdiction
and its limitations. This involves the major areas of the jurisdiction law like the
perception of the juries towards the better rise and management of the actions. The main
limitation in this is that the perception and mindset of each individual jury member is
unique towards that case and appellant that cause the verdict to get altered and changed.
Besides this, the major drawback is that the jury has to see through the fact that the
appellant has the fair chance to present his point of view and outlook. Besides this, the
voting that is been performed by the jury members has to be highly confidential in order
to maintain the integrity and effectiveness of the actions that are been taken in
consideration by the organisation.
This case will involve the better assessment of the different areas that are been
involved within the law. The present case is associated with the person named Gordon
J, facing the charges of raping a woman and is presented in the District court of
Queensland by judges and Jury. The voting pattern is been looked after by legal system
where the actions of the judge and total placing of fair trail is been under question.
Besides this, the judge and Jury is deeply confused that whether the sexual intercourse
which took place was forcibly done or is been considered as the consent of complainant
to appellant. Thus, this situation has led to a condition where the jury are yet to decide
that whether the appellant is guilty or not for a fair trial
b) Identify potential search terms (keywords) relating to the key issues in the prescribed case.
Outline alternative words such as related broader and narrower terms, synonyms and

spelling variations, where appropriate. Consider using truncation, phrase searching and
connectors. The case name and associated citations can also be used as search terms.
Concept Search terms Alternative/related
terms
Connect search terms
together
Rape Rape Sexual intercourse,
Sexual Harassment
Rape is a sexual
intercourse or harassment
that is been done forcibly,
without consent of the
person.
Jury Jury Legal panel,
committee,
The Jury or the legal
panel is the committee
that will look after the
verdict or jurisdiction in a
legal trial. They support a
good handling of the
cases and give out their
opinion that mould the
verdict or jurisdiction by
the judge.
Fair trial Fair trial Procedural fairness The procedural fairness
will help in execution of
a fair trial.
2. Search for secondary information sources
Use law databases and other resources to search for secondary source information related to your
prescribed case or the associated legal issues. Ensure you include looseleaf criminal law commentary
services, scholarly law journal articles and websites in your searching (as required for question 3).
Briefly describe your search process, including resources used, search methodology, an
overview/summary of results and how you refined the search where necessary.
Database or other
resource used
Overview of search process
(methodology, search terms etc)
Overview of results
Federal Criminal
Code
Detailed assessment of the different
criminal activities and cases that are been
taken in consideration by the organisation.
It involves the various
information about the federal
rules and codes that are been
related to criminal procedures.
It involves Crimes Act, 1914
(Cth)
Crimes Act
Offences
Jurisdiction is been delivered on basis of
these laws.
Involves the detailed legal
procedure that involve
murder, mayhem, intent to
rape, theft etc.

Procedural and
Other Legislation
Looking after the better and fair execution
of legal procedures in a court.
Improved the functionality of
the jurisdiction process and
improves its effectiveness.
Tips: Online looseleaf criminal law commentary services include: Carter’s Criminal Law of
Queensland (Lexis Advance), Indictable Offences Queensland (Westlaw AU) and Summary Offences
Queensland (Westlaw AU). To locate scholarly law journal articles, consult online case law research
products (e.g. CaseBase Cases, FirstPoint or LawCite) to check whether there are any citations to
journal articles referring to your assigned case and use an online law journal index such as AGIS Plus
Text (Informit).
3. Information source evaluation
From your search results (located as part of question 2 above), select one looseleaf criminal law
commentary service paragraph, one scholarly journal article and one website resource that discuss
your prescribed case or the associated legal issues. In the table below, cite these sources in the
correct Australian Guide to Legal Citation footnote format. Then briefly evaluate these three
sources using the REVIEW criteria outlined in Module 5: relevance, expertise of author, viewpoint,
intended audience, evidence, when published.
AGLC footnote reference Brief evaluation of the source
Source 1:
Looseleaf
commentary
service
paragraph
http://guides.library.uq.edu.au/
c.php?g=210386&p=1469021#s-
lg-box-wrapper-5249998
It helped in the better development
of the actions that are been
developed by the jury.
Source 2:
Scholarly
journal article
Clarke, J., 2015. An overview of
the Australian Law reform
commission's recommendations to
reform native title law and
practice. Brief, 42(11), p.52.
It helped in developing a good
insight about the reforms that can
be taken in legal operations in the
company.
Source 3:
Website
resource
http://www2.lexisnexis.com.au/
sites/en-au/products/federal-
criminal-law.page
It helped in developing a good
insight about the federal criminal
laws and its various components.

4. Case law in context
Consult the entry for the prescribed case in the online case law research products CaseBase Cases
and FirstPoint. Briefly summarise how subsequent cases have treated the prescribed case. Has the
prescribed case been widely reported in law reports series?
The subsequent cases are quite related to the legal obligation that have been taken in
consideration by the firm; this will help in better rise in understanding of various actions that
are been followed by the enterprise. From the analysis, it has been found that such cases are
very less reported in the law reports.
5. Reflection
Reflect on your approach to legal research during this task. Briefly outline aspects of your research
that worked well and identify potential areas for improvement.
On the basis of the research conducted, it can be said that there are many areas of
improvement in the legal system that are to be taken in the organisation. The jury system of
Queensland has to look through the better rise in maintaining fair practices that will help it to
meet the operations and handle the legal procedure in a very effective way. The jurisdiction
of the firm has to see through having a procedural fairness that will support maintaining of
these activities in a better way.