About the WA Legal System

Contributed by StephenShaw and current to 27 July 2018

The purpose of this introductory chapter is to provide a broad overview of the basic components of the Western Australian Legal System. It will look first at the nature of law, and then go on to explore the idea of law as part of an overall Legal System. It will briefly introduce the various bodies set up to deal with legal disputes. Further chapters in the handbook will explain in more detail the components of the Legal System that are of most practical relevance to day-to-day life.

• What is 'law'?
• What is a legal system?
• Who makes the law?
• Separation of powers
• The adversarial system
• The courts: State courts
• The courts: Commonwealth courts
• Who's who in the courts
• Tribunals
• Self-representation
• Finding the law
• Contact points and other resources