A defendant's history of social disadvantage should be taken into account in sentencing, the high court found on Wednesday, as it allowed an Indigenous man to appeal against his extended sentencing for an assault conviction

The week on the Law Report, Damien Carrick interviews University Queensland lecturer Alan Davidson about a recent US court decision that assigned civil liability to a person who knowingly texted a driver who subsequently crashed his car.

The Queensland Law Society has criticised the G20 (Safety and Security) Bill 2013 for breaching basic rights.

New measures to maintain law and order during the G20 summit in Queensland next year have lawyers concerned people will be locked away in prison without bail.

Once the state's top crime fighter, Tim Carmody QC has been appointed Queensland's new Chief Magistrate.

See Carmody new Chief Magistrate (The Australian, 6 September 2013).

This week, the Law Report takes a look at what happens when law students cheat.

With ethics and integrity considered of paramount importance for the profession, we take a look at the punishments that authorities dish out to those found guilty of cheating. And for those at the centre of any scandal, it turns out that owning up to past mistakes is the wisest path of action.

The Court of Appeal has issued a unanimous decision rejecting the appeals of two parties against the legal ban on assisted suicide.

See Nicklinson and Lamb right-to-die appeals dismissed (Law Society Gazette, 31 July 2013).

Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie, citing concerns about recidivist offenders, has questioned whether court-ordered parole and suspended sentencing should be part of Queensland's criminal justice system.

See the full report Court-ordered parole, suspended sentences may be dumped as state gets tough on criminals (Courier Mail, 31 July 2013)

The United States Supreme Court has issued a unanimous 9-0 decision, ruling that naturally occurring DNA is not eligible to be patented.

See Myriad Genetics (SCOTUSblog, 13 June 2013)

Queensland's courts are now processing cases faster, with some courts exceeding their targets, according to Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie.

See Queensland courts finalising cases faster (BrisbaneTimes.com.au, 31 May 2013)

The Age has reported that Shani Cassidy, whose son, Tyler Cassidy, was shot during a confrontation with police in 2008, has made a complaint to the United Nations Human Rights Commission. Shani Cassidy is claiming that Tyler's death was not investigated in an impartial manner.

See They didn't even ask his name: UN asked to probe police shooting (The Age, 30 May 2012).