We are announcing a change of authorship for The Queensland Sentencing Manual. After years of invaluable contributions, our esteemed original author, John Robertson, has retired. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to John for his exceptional work and dedication to this resource.

John Robertson's illustrious career included serving as a Judge of the District Court of Queensland from 1994 until his retirement in May 2018. He also held a commission in the Children's Court of Queensland and served as its President from 1999 to 2002. Most recently, John chaired the Queensland Sentencing Advisory Council from July 2018 to August 2023, where he played a crucial role in educating the public about sentencing matters.

We are pleased to introduce our new author, Matt Jackson, who will be continuing the legacy of excellence established by John. Matt is a Barrister at 8 Petrie Terrace Chambers and a current member of the Queensland Sentencing Advisory Council. Matt's primary practice area is criminal law and he regularly appears in the Court of Appeal in respect of conviction and sentence appeals. He completed a Master of Law which considered the relevance of Aboriginality under the Penalties and Sentences Act 1992 (Qld).

Matt's first update to The Queensland Sentencing Manual will be published online in July 2024. We are confident that his expertise and fresh perspective will continue to make this resource an invaluable tool for our subscribers.

We look forward to this new chapter and invite you to join us in welcoming Matt Jackson to The Queensland Sentencing Manual.

The Queensland Sentencing Manual is a practical resource designed for those involved with sentencing and criminal law in Queensland. Currently authored by Matt Jackson, Barrister and Queensland Sentencing Advisory Board Member, the service offers: a guide to the Penalties and Sentences Act 1992 (Qld) as well as commentary on sentencing orders for juveniles, governing principles of sentencing, factors personal to the offender, plea of guilty, recording a conviction, sentencing hearings and appeals.

The Criminal Law Practice Area on Westlaw has many services that are designed to complement each other to provide the breadth of coverage of a single compendium but with the in-depth analysis that specific focus areas will allow. In addition, the Alert and the reports series will also enable practitioners to keep up to date with pertinent caselaw. When taken in its entirety, the Criminal Law Practice Area will furnish subscribers with a full picture of Criminal Law in the respective jurisdictions without the necessary restrictions of single services. The Criminal Law Noticeboard is specifically geared for specialists in the area and will deliver news items of interest and significance written and curated by in-house editors. To subscribe to the Criminal Law Practice Area on Westlaw, contact Thomson Reuters.