Muir v The Queen

Practice and procedure – High Court – Application for special leave to appeal from orders of Supreme Court of Australian Capital Territory – Application on motion by an indigent prisoner in custody for an order requiring his production to High Court to enable him to make oral submissions in support of application for special leave – Whether the High Court has power to make such an order – Whether it would do so in the case – Whether application to be decided on the papers.

Constitutional law (Cth) – High Court – Appellate jurisdiction – Whether implied powers under the Constitution to uphold the authority of the High Court – Whether question of power of High Court to order production of an unrepresented prisoner applicant for special leave should be referred to a Full Court – Whether appellate jurisdiction of the High Court engaged at stage of special leave application – Whether differing practices of custodial authorities in different Australian jurisdictions relevant to disposition of motion – Whether motion and application could and should be decided on the papers.

Criminal law and procedure – Sentencing – Convicted federal offender – Statutory provisions governing sentencing of prisoner convicted of offences against Crimes Act 1914 (Cth) – Whether sentencing judge correctly applied federal sentencing law – Whether decision of Court of Appeal attended by sufficient doubt to warrant grant of special leave.

Constitution – ss 73, 75.

Crimes Act 1914 (Cth) – s 16G.

Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth) – ss 35(2), 35AA(2), 78.

High Court Rules – O 55 r 1, O 55 r 39, O 69A r 15.