Location

I’m located in Brisbane, Queensland, and regularly see people by appointment during business hours in the city’s central business district (CBD) and after hours in the Brisbane north suburb of Ascot. If you are not able to travel due to disability or infirmity, I may be able to visit or assist you online.

Scroll down to Request an Appointment.

What to bring

To receive JP service, you will need to bring the following items with you.

• Government-issued photographic identity (e.g., driver’s licence or passport)
• Your own black pen (a COVID-19 transmission precaution)
• For certification of hardcopy documents as true and correct copies, bring both the original documents and the copies
• For certification of electronic documents as true and correct copies, bring a mobile computing device (laptop or smartphone), your own mobile Wi-Fi hotspot or data allowance, login details necessary to access the original electronic document, and a printed copy of the document
• For witnessing of certain Queensland Titles Registry documents, you must show evidence of your financial interest in the property, such as the contract of sale if buying a property; or, full rates notice, certificate of title, or titles search if selling a property

Services

Justice of the Peace (Qualified) powers under the Justices of the Peace and Commissioners for Declarations Act 1991 (Qld) and various legislation of the Commonwealth of Australia.

• Administrative services
  • Certifying copies of documents
  • Witnessing of signatures
  • Witnessing of statutory declarations
    • Queensland Statutory Declaration under the Oaths Act 1867 (Qld)
    • Commonwealth Statutory Declaration under the Statutory Declarations Act 1959 (Cwlth)
  • Witnessing applications under the Domestic and Family Violence Protection Act 2012 (Qld)
  • Witnessing blue card applications for working with children
  • Administering oaths and affirmations
  • Witnessing affidavits
  • Witnessing family law documents
  • Witnessing Queensland general powers of attorney, enduring powers of attorney, and advance health directives documents
  • Witnessing wills
  • Witnessing Titles Registry forms
  • Witnessing consent to the marriage of a minor
• Non-bench and minor bench judicial duties
  • Issuing summonses
  • Issuing a summons or warrant under the Peace and Good Behaviour Act 1982 (Qld)
  • Issuing warrants under the Animal Care and Protection Act 2001 (Qld)
  • Issuing search warrants
  • Issuing arrest warrants
• Other services
  • Attending a record of interview
  • Granting of extension to a detention period
  • Customs Act 1901 (Cwlth)
    • determining an application for an external body search of a person detained under the same Act
    • issuing a summons
    • constituting a Magistrates Court and determining a bail application for a person charged with an offence under this Act
  • Granting and refusing bail
  • Hearing a bail application
  • Sureties and security
  • Witnessing of selected interstate and international documents only if the issuing authority explicitly states that they will accept witnessing by a Queensland Justice of the Peace, or a Justice of the Peace / puisne justice / judicial officer / commissioner of the peace in the local jurisdiction, including:
    • Dominion of Canada statutory declaration in lieu of guarantor (form 83-170)
    • United Kingdom ‘life certificate’
    • European Union pensioner’s proof of life

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. What is a Justice of the Peace?
   • The judicial office of Justice of the Peace is described on Wikipedia.
2. Do you charge for your service?
   • No, it is illegal for Queensland JPs to charge for their services.
3. Are Queensland JPs paid?
   • No, we are volunteers, and not having a financial conflict of interest supports our independence in the law.
4. Why do you serve as a JP if you’re not paid and can’t charge for your services?
   • I believe the world would be a better place if everyone gave a little of their time to volunteering in their community. I have profound respect for those involved in charitable work, but volunteering in the justice sector appeals to my interest in the law.
5. Do you copy documents?
   • No, you will need to make your own copies. Most Officeworks stores have self-service print and copy facilities.
6. How long will the service take?
   • The time required depends on the nature of the service you need. Witnessing a signature or certifying a copy of a document can take only a few minutes. Making a statutory declaration or swearing an affidavit can take 10 to 30 minutes, depending on the nature of the document.
7. Can Queensland JPs marry people?
   • No, in accordance with the Marriage Act 1961 (Cwlth), only registered marriage celebrants can legally marry people in Australia.
8. Can Queensland JPs commit people for psychiatric assessment?
   • No, not any more. Justice Examination Orders were abolished on 5 March 2017 with the repeal of the Mental Health Act 2000 (Qld) and its replacement by the Mental Health Act 2016 (Qld).
9. What is the difference between a Commissioner for Declarations (Cdec), Justice of the Peace (Qualified), and Justice of the Peace (Magistrates Court)?
   • The Cdec is a purely administrative role. Cdecs do not have any judicial function. That is, they do not deal with any type of court process. See the Administrative services section above.
   • A JP (Qual) has all of the responsibilities of Cdecs and also several judicial duties, both ‘non-bench’ and ‘minor bench’. Two JPs (Qual) or one JP (Qual) and one JP (Mag Ct) can constitute a Magistrates Court to deal with specific matters.
   • The JP (Mag Ct) has all of the duties and responsibilities of the previous two roles with an additional power. Two Justices of the Peace (Mag Ct) can constitute a Magistrates Court to deal with guilty pleas for simple offences.
10. Can a Queensland JP act on interstate and international matters?
    • Usually not, but there are some specific scenarios when it is possible. Please contact me using the Request an Appointment form below. If I am unsure, then I will contact Queensland’s Justice of the Peace Branch, and perhaps assist you in contacting your document’s issuing authority (usually a government agency).

Find a Justice of the Peace

Contact me via LinkedIn, or search for a JP or Cdec at a shopping centre, courthouse, library, or a variety of other locations, including after-hours private addresses, via the Queensland Government’s Website: https://www.qld.gov.au/law/legal-mediation-and-justice-of-the-peace/about-justice-of-the-peace/search-for-your-nearest-jp-or-cdec