Instinctive Synthesis
The approach that sentencing judges undertake in making sentencing decisions is ‘instinctive synthesis’.
In Australia The High Court has affirmed that the ‘instinctive synthesis’ approach is the appropriate method for determining a suitable sentence.
Where does the term originate ?
The term originates from the Full Court of the Supreme Court of Victoria decision of R v Williscroft, where Adam and Crockett JJ stated:
‘Now, ultimately every sentence imposed represents the sentencing judge’s instinctive synthesis of all the various aspects involved in the punitive process’.
What is Instinctive Synthesis?
In Markarian v The Queen [2005] HCA 25 McHugh J described this approach at [51] as:
…the method of sentencing by which the judge identifies all the factors that are relevant to the sentence, discusses their significance and then makes a value judgment as to what is the appropriate sentence given all the factors of the case. Only at the end of the process does the judge determine the sentence.
The alternative approach to this method is the two-step approach. This approach involves a sentencing judge setting an appropriate sentence commensurate with the objective severity of the offence and only then making allowances up and down, in light of relevant aggravating and mitigating in the circumstances.
The two-step approach was rejected in Markarian v The Queen,[28] where it was noted:
‘Following the decision of this Court in Wong it cannot now be doubted that sentencing courts may not add and subtract item by item from some apparently subliminally derived figure, passages of time in order to fix the time which an offender must serve in prison’.[29]
Sentencing is not a mathematical exercise
In Barbaro v The Queen [2014] HCA 2 the Court affirmed that sentencing is not a mathematical exercise, stated at [34]:
“Sentencing an offender is not, and cannot be undertaken as, some exercise in addition or subtraction. A sentencing judge must reach a single sentence for each offence and must do so by balancing many different and conflicting features. The sentencing cannot, and should not, be broken down into some set of component parts. As the plurality said in Wong v The Queen, “[s]o long as a sentencing judge must, or may, take account of all of the circumstances of the offence and the offender, to single out some of those considerations and attribute specific numerical or proportionate value to some features, distorts the already difficult balancing exercise which the judge must perform”
The process of instinctive synthesis is a mechanism whereby sentencers make a decision regarding all of the considerations that are relevant to sentencing, and then give due weight to each of them, and then set a precise penalty.
Accordingly there is no single correct sentence, and that the ‘instinctive synthesis will, by definition, produce outcomes upon which reasonable minds will differ’.
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Joanna Pasternak represented me today. She is very knowledgeable and professional. Great outcome. Time to get on with the rest of my life.
Jelena an Amazing Lawyer Experienced and understanding I could not be happier after leaving the court today. Thank You Kindly to You Jelena and Your Team.God Bless.
Jelena is the best and very professional and very easy to work with and talk to. I done exactly what I was asked and I was lucky enough to walk out with no conviction thanks to jelena. I couldn’t be happier. If I went this alone without Jelena, I had no chance of getting that outcome that’s a fact As the old saying goes, You get what you pay for Thank you again Forever grateful
I’d like to thank Jelena and Lamont Lawyers for all your help, I couldn’t have done it with out you! I greatly appreciate it. Thank you very much.
I would like to thank Jenela Dobric, for being such a superb solicitor in attending to my case. I would like to thank Jenela and Kristina for the work they did on my case. I would recommend Lamont Lawyers to anyone. Try to get Jenela Dobric. Her dedication is 2nd to none. Jenela is understanding and gives great guidance when it is required. I cannot thank Jenela enough, for getting the outcome the was achieved. Thank you, Charles Hudson
I had a very positive experience with Joanna Pasternak representing my domestic violence matter. She was kind, friendly, supportive, and she took the time to hear my version of events. It was obvious that after our consultation, she was willing to do everything she could to get the best possible outcome for me, in which she was able to get my charges withdrawn before a hearing. This has saved me a lot of time and stress knowing that the matter has been resolved, and that I can get on with my life. I highly recommend having Joanna represent anyone who needs legal assistance with domestic violence matters. Thank you so much Joanna it was lovely meeting you. All the best.
Joanna knew exactly what was relevant and efficiently navigated through complex matters to simplify the process, which ended up with a quick solution. Money well spent and hassle free.
I had the misfortune of having the need for representation in court and used Lamont Lawyers. Jelena represented me. She gave me sound advice which prepared me for the hearing and while there wasn’t much more she could have added, she spoke on my behalf calmly and professionally which I believe helped. Following Jelena’s advice, I did not record a conviction. I hope I don’t need her services again, but would not hesitate to engage her and Lamont Lawyers again. Thank you Jelena.
Jelena and Joanna recently assisted my son with a criminal matter. They provided excellent support and advice. Thank you for ensuring a good outcome.
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Jelena was incredibly helpful with her advice and directions on my legal matter. The relief I feel right now . I can move on to the next step of the process with confidence. I thank you for the reassurance you gave to me. Chris Hawkins
Would like to thank Jelena, she was very professional and made me feel comfortable with the court process, Very happy with my outcome. Would highly recommend this law firm.
Jelena Dobric was absolutely amazing. I can’t thank her enough, she went above and beyond for me to help me achieve an extraordinary outcome in my traffic matter with her astute diligence. An outcome I didn’t even think would be possible. I’m so truly grateful and appreciate all the hard work, I couldn’t have asked for a better lawyer. Jelena is extremely professional, compassionate and amicable. She guided me through the whole process with expert legal advice from start to finish and ensured I understood everything efficiently. It made me feel relaxed and at ease during a very stressful time for me. I would definitely highly recommend Jelena and the Lamont Law legal services to anyone in need. She would be my first choice if I need any representation in the future. It was a pleasure to meet and work with Jelena.
I had a very positive experience with Jelena who was very professional, and went above and beyond to ensure I had received the best possible outcome. Couldn’t have asked for better.
I had a very positive experience with Jelena who was very professional, and went above and beyond to ensure I had received the best possible outcome. Couldn’t have asked for better.
I had a very positive experience with Jelena who was very professional, and went above and beyond to ensure I had received the best possible outcome. Couldn’t have asked for better.
Couldn’t be happier with the outcome Jelena worked hard to attain for myself. She went above and beyond to provide a service that left me feeling confident in my decision in hiring her. Her high work ethic and dedication to her career was shown multiple times. I would highly recommend anyone who needs a confident solicitor who gets results to reach out and speak to Jelena.
I had a very positive experience with Jelena representing me, she was very calm and assuring. I had the best outcome possible for my case and her guidance and assurance was crucial to that. Even if the court had not ruled in my favour I feel that I was still well represented. She went above and beyond to ensure I was informed and comfortable. I could not recommend her highly enough.
Recently found myself in need of a lawyer. Contacted Lamont Lawyers, Jelena was excellent. Very thorough & professional. Secured a great outcome. Wouldn’t hesitate to use their expertise again. Many thanks..!
I was represented by Jelena for a very difficult appeal for a speeding offence. I set my expectations very low given the seriousness of my offence but Jelena provided accurate, meticulous and measured advice on the best approach for my licence appeal. I am happy to say that I can drive again after successfully appealing a 6 month suspension and life can go back to normal. 100% recommend Jelena and Lamont for their dedication and professionalism throughout the process.
Rosie handled my matter excellently, her legal advice was excellent and she was so easy to discuss matters with, as well as keeping cost and time minimal. I’m extremely happy with the service provided.
Absolutely amazing when I needed help with a matter and phone service when asking advice
I highly recommend Jelena Dobric. She is lovely to speak with, very professional and achieved the outcome I was hoping for. I could not have asked for a better lawyer in what was a very stressful time for myself and my family.
I would like to thank Jelena Dobric for her response on my case and getting a positive outcome. She was extremely professional and helpful. Would highly recommend.
Joanna was very Professional dealing with my case. She provide all the information with all the possible outcomes. Always ready to help me with the case. Highly recommended as you will not find anyone like her to Represent you in your court matter. Thank you so much Joanna for your time. It was lovely meeting you ??
Outstanding Service, Lamont Lawyers went above and beyond. Outcome was very pleasing, my matter was dismissed. They Always rang me when they said they would, and followed it up ,they took time to hear my side of the story without rushing me. I suffer from Anxiety and was extremely nervous about going to court for the first time. Joanna really helped by being friendly and professional, just to have people with experience on my side was brilliant. Can’t thank Joanna enough.
Rosie from Lamont Law went above and beyond for me in this traffic matter. As it was all new to me she guided me through the process and achieved a much better outcome than I was expecting. Would Highly Recommend.
Alex was professional, compassionate, informative & efficient throughout our case. He was honest & direct but also sincere. We felt confident and calm knowing that Alex would do his very best on our behalf, in and out of court, and that he really knew what he was doing to get the best possible outcome for us. Thank you Alex, we really appreciated having you on our team. We are truly grateful ???
Jelena Dobric Helped with traffic law and represented at the court on the day. She was well prepared and helped me with everything from day1. I had positive outcome at the court I highly recommend Jelena.
I was so lucky that I got Rosie Philips as my solicitor.I am extremely happy that I received no conviction for my appeal.Thanks again to Rosie who is extremely good in her profession.Would highly recommend to any one.
I would like to say a big thank you to Jelena Dobric who is one of Lamont Law professional solicitors. Her responsive action in traffic law helped me get a positive outcome in my case. I highly recommend her with regards to her expertise & insightful knowledge in traffic law.! Jelena was diligent with communication & could not have asked for a more professional person. Once again thank you.
Alex was great. With my initial email enquiry he got back to me immediately. Jelena took my case. She is nothing short of Professional and Cleary respected my the court and the Magistrate assigned on my day at Court. Jelena was always available, gave me all the information and tools I needed and got the me the best possible outcome regarding my situation. Jelena was so caring and friendly and Non judgemental. I can’t thank her enough. Especially ladies looking for a caring and understanding solicitor , please look no further than Jelena. Alex, jelena is a huge asset to your business . Thank you so much.
My deepest thanks to Rosie Phillips for helping me through the most stressful time of my life and for saving my career. I couldn’t have done any of this without her knowledge and skill. I highly recommend Rosie for anyone in need of a professional and first-class solicitor. 5 stars!
I would like to say a very Big Thank you to Jelena at Lamont Lawyers. She has been incredible to work with as our family lawyer, she handled my brothers matter with such great Professionalism and care. Jelena was responsive to all my emails and provided great advise. She clarified any queries I had & really went above, by keeping me up to date in all correspondence with other parties. As a result we achieved the outcome we were hoping for. It was such a pleasure to work with her! & I Truly wish her all the best in her future endeavours.
I would like to say a very Big Thank you to Jelena at Lamont Lawyers. She has been incredible to work with as our family lawyer, she handled my brothers matter with such great Professionalism and care. Jelena was responsive to all my emails and provided great advise. She clarified any queries I had & really went above, by keeping me up to date in all correspondence with other parties. As a result we achieved the outcome we were hoping for. It was such a pleasure to work with her! & I Truly wish her all the best in her future endeavours.
“The relief I feel is today is palpable, so many thanks to Lamont Lawyers and in particularly Jelena Dobric who was a delight to work with. Jelena was very clear and very helpful with all aspects of my case. She was wonderful with the magistrate, keeping the plea going until the end to achieve a no conviction result.” Geoffrey S
We had the best outcome and excellent experience with Alex and Jelena…..they achieved a brilliant outcome with Alex ‘s representation in court so professional and highest legal performance… thankyou again for all your help for our family ?
Attention to detail from Alex resulted in the best possible outcome.Highly recommended.
Very professional and understanding. Wouldn’t hesitate to contact them again if I ever need it. Thank you very much!
We couldn’t be happier with the work Alex and Lamont Lawyers did on our behalf. The professionalism but importantly the flexibility and understanding that was shown was outstanding and exceed my expectations. I am pleased to recommend Lamont Lawyers.
I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Rosie Philips for handling my daughter’s case with so much professionalism and compassion. We could not have gone thru such a traumatic legal situation like this unscathed without you. During the whole process you took time to explain matters to us patiently with a lot of empathy and sensitivity. Comforting us with your calming and soothing words and at the same time managing realistic expectations of case outcome. You gave us strength when we had lost ours. You gave us hope when we were crushed and devastated. And you were always, always there – responsive to our emails and text messages and accessible by phone when we needed you. With your expert legal knowledge, skill and diligence you brought a favourable end to our case. We are very, very happy with the outcome of the court decision. No conviction and no suspension. My daughter still has a bright future ahead of her – thanks to you. I will highly recommend you to my family and friends. R M Devi
Very happy with the services provided by Alex Angel-Graham ! Delivered the best possible outcome in only very little time! Thanks alot Alex and Lamont Law ! ??
