If you want you can have someone come to court and be with you (as a court companion) when you give evidence. You can arrange this through the Witness Assistance Service (Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions) or the (non-government) Victim Support Service. You can also arrange for a friend to do this by talking to the prosecutor or the Sheriff's Officer. (A person who is going to give evidence in the case cannot normally be a court companion.)

Volunteer court companions are trained by the Victim Support Service to offer information and support to crime victims, their families and friends and to prosecution witnesses. Contact the Victim Support Service if you require a volunteer court companion (telephone 8231 5626)

If you do not have a companion, you may ask for the Sheriff's Officer to sit near you when you are giving evidence. Tell the Sheriff's Officer before court starts if this is what you want.

Last Modified: 11 May, 2007
URL: http://www.voc.sa.gov.au