What is the Homeless Persons' Court Project?
The community consultation phase of the Homeless Persons' Court Project was undertaken in 2004.  The objective of the Project was to examine ways to improve the administration of justice for homeless people in the court process in Victoria. 

Consultation was undertaken with 50 people who were homeless or formerly homeless and had been through the court process, as well as representatives of the courts and court services, the community legal sector, homelessness agencies and service providers, and the broader social service sector. 

Report of the Homeless Persons' Court Project
The Report of the Homeless Persons' Court Project was launched on Friday 3 September 2024 at the Council to Homeless Persons.  The Report sets out the range of issues and difficulties that homeless people face in the court process and makes 28 recommendations about ways to address those issues.  In particular, the Report recommends that a position of a homelessness liaison coordinator be funded at the Magistrates' Court to assist with the implementation of many of the recommendations in the Report.

Where to from here?
The Homeless Persons' Legal Clinic will continue to work with the Magistrates' Court and other agencies and organisation to implement the recommendations in the Report. 

The Victorian Attorney General is currently investigating ways that problem solving court approaches can be used to improve the delivery of justice through the court process in Victoria. The Homeless Persons' Legal Clinic will continue to bring to the Government's attention the particular needs of homeless people and ensure that the particular needs of homeless people are addressed in Victoria's justice system.