The Piddington Society

Intermediaries in the Courts

Join The Piddington Society for a timely CPD session exploring the evolving role of intermediaries in Australian courts. The presenters for this CPD are Dr John Taggart and Her Honour Judge Felicity Zempilas.

What is an intermediary?

An intermediary is a trained communication specialist appointed by the court to assist vulnerable witnesses or accused persons to understand questions and to give their evidence clearly and accurately. Intermediaries do not advocate for a party or influence the substance of evidence. 

Their role is to facilitate fair and effective communication by adapting language, questioning styles and courtroom processes to the individual’s needs, helping ensure the evidence given is reliable and the trial process is fair.

Dr John Taggart is leading academic and former criminal defence practitioner. He has spent more than a decade researching special measures in criminal proceedings and the role of intermediaries as communication specialists for vulnerable court users. He will share his international insights and latest research into the challenges of identifying and supporting those in need of intermediary services. 

Her Honour Judge Felicity Zempilas will provide judicial reflections on the introduction of intermediaries under the Evidence Bill 2025 and the current CLMI legislative framework. 

The session includes short presentations followed by a Q&A discussion which gave attendees the opportunity to engage directly about the practical and policy considerations of these important reforms. 

Jolin Edmondson is the Manager of the Communication Partner Program at the Depart of Justice. Whilst originally from Perth, Jolin has previously worked as a speech pathologist across a range of settings in Sydney and Canberra. 

Jolin was part of the first cohort of trained and accredited intermediaries in the ACT Intermediary Program in late 2019. She has experience of the phased growth of the program, from its initial focus on vulnerable children and young people, to its expansion as the first service in Australia to facilitate communication for vulnerable accused.