Criminal Law Experiences in

Australia
Court Heirarchy Game

Teacher set-up:

1) Photocopy enough rounds for your

entire class or a group of students to
participate. There are five ‘players’ but if
students get the same person they can
experience different outcomes based on
luck and funds.

2) Each envelope needs to be labelled with the following; Round #1, Round #2, Round #3, etc. Slip
in the slips to each envelope according to the number on each slip.

3) Using free money templates (or borrow money from popular games) start the game. You need a
few minutes at the start to hand out the money according to each scenario.

4) Discuss the reflection questions or have students respond to them individually.

Note: I used this successfully in the classroom with Year 10s and 11s. It took a class of 25
students about 50 minutes to get through all the rounds. Students found this engaging and
informative.

• Each scenario is based on real life experiences in Australia, inspired by multiple stories that
have been altered for the game.
• As some students dropped out of the game in the first round- they became the experts and
googled how real the experiences where. Eg. Cases in the news, amounts for fines, if
mandatory sentencing exists in their state etc.

You can then get older students to make new scenarios for the game. I did this by getting Year 11s
to write them for Year 9 and 10 students so that I did not use the same game every year.

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Round #1

Person #1: 12 year old living in an outer suburb.

Money to start the game: No money.

You are a child living in an outer suburb of your city. You are 12 years old and your mother is
raising you on her own because your father is in jail. You like going to school because you feel safe
there and some of the teachers are nice to you. However, you get into trouble lots. You are
frustrated because you have trouble reading and the English teacher said you might have a
learning disorder but your mum can not afford to get you tested so the teachers don’t bother to give
you extra help. One day you get so angry and upset in class that you use a pair of scissors to stab
a student who is teasing you, the other student is seriously injured. The child’s parents contact the
police. What are you charged with? Which court is your case heard in?

Next move: Play Round #2.

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Round #1

Person #1: 12 year old living in an outer suburb.

Money to start the game: No money.

You are a child living in an outer suburb of your city. You are 12 years old and your mother is
raising you on her own because your father is in jail. You like going to school because you feel safe
there and some of the teachers are nice to you. However, you get into trouble lots. You are
frustrated because you have trouble reading and the English teacher said you might have a
learning disorder but your mum can not afford to get you tested so the teachers don’t bother to give
you extra help. One day you get so angry and upset in class that you use a pair of scissors to stab
a student who is teasing you, the other student is seriously injured. The child’s parents contact the
police. What are you charged with? Which court is your case heard in?

Next move: This is the third time you have assualted another person. You are sentenced to
time in Juvenile prison. You are out of the game.

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Round #2

This is your third time in Court for this type of crime. The judge convicts you of
________________, you get a _________ year sentence.

Next move: Sorry, you have gone to jail. You are out of the game. You have had an unlucky
run and the odds were stacked against you.

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Round #2

This is your first time in Court for this type of crime. The judge is lenient and lets you off with a
warning. You have to attend court ordered therapy.

Next move: You have to attend your court ordered visits. You get to sit out Round #3. Play
again in Round #4.

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Round #1

Person #2: 22 year old male, working in a trade.

Money: Collect $500.00 from the “boss”.

You are the youngest of four boys and you went to boarding school in Perth. You weren’t very good
at academics but your teachers were patient and helped you out a lot, your parents were also
pretty understanding and supportive. You failed your ATAR so badly that you couldn’t get into
University but your dad’s best friend worked in a factory and he gave you a job picking out bits and
pieces for delivery. It was boring but every chance he got, he made sur eyou went on extra courses
and got your forklift licence, first aid and some certificates that gave you a chance to progress
through the company. You speed down the Tonkin and get hit with a $200.00 fine and two demerit
points.

Next move: You get a $200.00 fine in the mail but do not need to go to court. Pay the fine.
You skip Round #2.

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Round #3

You are having a big night out on the town. You get in to a fight with a guy who was giving you lip.
You punch him really hard and knock him out. The police detain you and find drugs on you.

Next move: What might the police charge you with? Which court would hear your case? (A
wrong answer costs you $200.00, a right answer means that your lawyer managed to get
your sentence reduced. Play the next round.)

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Round #3

You are having a big night out on the town. You get into a fight with a guy giving you lip. He
punches you first and then you punch him back. You are both arrested. The police detain you and
find drugs on you.

Next move: What might the police charge you with? Which court would hear your case?
A wrong answer costs you $200.00, a right answer means that you are released and stay in
the game.

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Round #3

You are having a big night out on the town with your friends. You decide to drive home because it
has been a few hours since your last drink. You offer to drop your friends at home. You can’t avoid
a booze bus that is parked on the highway. The police ask you to do a breath test. You blow an
alcohol reading of 0.75.

Next move: What might the police charge you with? Which court would hear your case?
A wrong answer costs you $200.00, a right answer means that this was your first offence
and you are let off with warning and a $100.00 fine.

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Round #1

Person #3: 30 year old female, on maternity leave, with two children.
Money: Collect $200.00 from the “boss”.

You are a female on maternity leave from your nursing job. You have a two year old and a six
month old. Your husband left you three months ago and moved overseas. He can’t be located to
pay child support because he does not reside in Australia. You have no surviving family and after
paying rent and bills this month you have nothing left for food.

You get caught stealing a necklace worth $900.00. Your case is heard in the _____________ court
because this is an indictable offence. The maximum penalty for stealing something that is less than
$1000.00 in value is a _________________ fine or ______ years imprisonment.

Next move: You will play Round #2.

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Round #2

You lucky thing- you got great help from Legal Aid and were able to show a lenient judge that your
circumstances were not great. You have been let off with a warning and a smaller fine.

Next move: Pay $200.00. Relax during Round #3. No need to play because you have got
some help from Centrelink and a friend.

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Round #2

You poor thing- Legal Aid WA was swamped with cases and is underfunded. The judge you got on
the day was pretty harsh. He gave you a $1000.00 fine which you can not afford to pay. You will
have to spend time in jail. Your children will be put in the care of a foster parent.

Next move: Sorry you are in jail. You are out of the game.

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Round #1

Person #3: You are a 32 year old male working as an accountant.

Money: Collect $500.00 from “the boss”.

You went to an expensive private school and cruised through university. Both your parents are
lawyers and work in criminal law. Life is pretty chill. You haven’t been caught for anything yet. Sit
back and relax until Round #3.
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Round #1

Person #4: You are the CEO of a building company. You are 55 and divorced.
Money: Collect $1000.00 from “the boss”.

Your father raised you on his own but you have worked your way up. You went to a public school
and started washing dishes at 15. You saved your money, worked hard and took every opportunity
you could to get to where you are today.

Next move: Sit back and relax on your really nice boat until Round #4.

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Round #4

You are out with friends having a big night. You start fighting with your partner over the phone. You
both start getting really angry at each other. You take substances and get “blind drunk”. You go
home and your partner is waiting to fight with you. When you wake up you are covered in blood
and the police have forced their way in to the property. They say you are under arrest for the
murder of your partner.

Next move: You are arrested without bail and your case will be heard in the _____________
court of _______.
Play Round #5.

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Round #4

You are out with friends having a big night. You start fighting with your partner over the phone. You
both start getting really angry at each other. You take several different substances and get “blind
drunk”. You go home and your partner is waiting to fight with you. When you wake up you are
covered in blood and the police have forced their way in to the property. They say you are under
arrest for greivous bodily harm and aggravated assualt. You are told your partner is in a coma in
hospital.

Next move: You are arrested without bail and your case will be heard in the ______________
Court of ___________. Play round #5

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Round #4

You are out with friends having a big night. You start fighting with your partner over the phone. You
both start getting really angry at each other. You take several different substances and get “blind
drunk”. You go home and your partner is waiting to fight with you. When you wake up you are
covered in blood and the police have forced their way in to the property. They say you are under
arrest for greivous bodily harm and aggravated assualt. You are told your partner is in a coma in
hospital.

Next move: You are arrested without bail and your case will be heard in the ______________
Court of ___________. Play Round #5

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Round #4

You are out with friends having a big night. You start fighting with your partner over the phone. You
both start getting really angry at each other. You take substances and get “blind drunk”. You go
home and your partner is waiting to fight with you. When you wake up you are covered in blood
and the police have forced their way in to the property. They say you are under arrest for the
murder of your partner.

Next move: You are arrested without bail and your case will be heard in the ______________
Court of ___________. Play Round #5

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Round #5

Things aren’t looking good but your mate has recommended a good lawyer. If you can pay them
$500.00 to represent you, they manage to prove the case beyond reasonable doubt and you are
found not guilty.

Next move: If you can’t pay for the lawyer you are found guilty and you are heading to jail
for 10 years. See if any other ‘players’ will lend you money. If they don’t… you are out of the
game.

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Round #5

Things aren’t looking good but your mate has recommended a good lawyer. If you can pay them
$500.00 to represent you, they manage to prove the case beyond reasonable doubt and you are
found not guilty.

Next move: If you can’t pay for the lawyer you are found guilty and you are heading to jail
for 10 years. See if any other ‘players’ will lend you money. If they don’t… you are out of the
game.
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Round #5

Things aren’t looking good but your mate has recommended a good lawyer. Unfortunately, the
prosecutor is really good and you are found guilty. However, your lawyer has filed an appeal on the
grounds that the judge made a finding of fact or facts on an important issue which could not be
supported by the evidence. If you have $400.00 to pay your lawyer you can move on with your
appeal. (Other players no longer in the game can lend you money if you convince them to.)

Next move: If you can raise the money, you move on to have your case heard in the High
Court of Australia. Play Round #6. If not you are going to jail.

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Round #5

Things aren’t looking good but your mate has recommended a good lawyer. Unfortunately, the
prosecutor is really good and you are found guilty. However, your lawyer has filed an appeal on the
grounds that the Supreme Court judge made a finding of fact or facts on an important issue which
could not be supported by the evidence. If you have $400.00 to pay your lawyer you can move on
with your appeal. (Other players no longer in the game can lend you money if you convince them
to.)

Next move: If you can raise the money, you move on to have your case heard in the High
Court of Australia. Play Round #6. If not you are going to jail.

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Round #6

This is a pretty big case. The media has had your face splashed all over the news. The media think
you are definitely guilty. Lucky that the appeals process protects you, as you are not convinced that
you did it and you can afford to pay for the court costs and expensive lawyer. The High Court
judges decide that you are Not Guilty.

Lucky that the court heirarchy exists and your rights have been protected due to your
ability to appeal!!!

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Round #6

This is a pretty big case. The media has had your face splashed all over the news. The media think
you are definitely guilty. Lucky that the appeals process protects you, as you are not convinced that
you did it and you can afford to pay for the court costs and expensive lawyer. The High Court
judges here the case and look at the evidence. It is pretty damning, your DNA is under the finger
nails of your partner and it looks like a crime of passion rather than opportunity. Despite the fact the
can not remember what happened, the judges are convinced, beyond reasonable doubt, that you
are guilty of this crime.

You will serve 20 years for second degree murder because this is a first offence. See you in
a few decades.

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Round #6

This is a pretty big case. The media has had your face splashed all over the news. The media think
you are definitely guilty. Lucky that the appeals process protects you, as you are not convinced that
you did it and you can afford to pay for the court costs and expensive lawyer. The High Court
judges here the case and look at the evidence. It is pretty damning, your DNA is under the finger
nails of your partner and it looks like a crime of passion rather than opportunity. Your partner is still
in a coma and so it is not classified as murder.

You are convicted of assualt with intent to do great bodily harm which carries a sentence of
10 years. If your victim dies while you are serving your time, your charges and sentence will
be upgraded.

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Reflection questions
Reflecting on the scenarios
presented in this game, what
factors can impact a persons
access to ‘justice’?
Find one case that is similar in
circumstances to one of the
scenarios presented. Detail
the elements of the case and
the result.
How would you feel if you had __________________________________________________
a family member who was the
victim in the ‘coma’ case? How __________________________________________________
would you feel about the
accused being released?
Think about the factors that
impact a persons ability to
appeal a case. How could we
improve the legal system in
Australia to protect innocent
people accused of crimes?
Responses
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