A judge has fined a lawyer after his submissions for a complicated fraud case were filed just before 8pm, the night before the sentencing.
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Judge Rob Ronayne said the sentencing had to be postponed and ordered lawyer Dan Gardiner to pay a $300 fine.
When the judge asked why he had filed his submissions the night before the hearing, Mr Gardiner said he had a lot of work on and his client had been sick.
The judge said submissions needed to be made on time, to give judges time to read them and allow sentencings to go ahead.
Criminal Bar Association president Tony Bouchier said prosecutors and the court losing files also created delays.
He said it was the first time he had heard of a lawyer being fined for late submissions.
