Information for AOD report writers on the panel
How AOD report writers on the panel are engaged to write reports
AOD reports can either be ordered by a judge or requested by a lawyer. The number of reports you may be asked to write will vary.
If a judge orders a report, the registry at the relevant court will contact you to request a report. They will check your availability and for any conflicts of interest.
If a lawyer requests a report, they will contact you directly.
The court registry or lawyer will send you an engagement letter, which will include the fixed rate, relevant case details and report due date. The due date is 13 working days before the scheduled sentencing date.
Information about travel and any other additional expenses is in the AOD Standard Terms and Conditions [PDF, 329 KB]
Once you have completed the report, submit your invoice and the report to the court registry or lawyer who requested the report.
What the AOD report must include
AOD report writers on the panel must use the Ministry-approved AOD report template: AOD report template [DOCX, 53 KB]
The report template sets out expectations about the content, structure and presentation of the report. The template will ensure that AOD reports provide the courts with consistent information.
Supplier Welcome Pack
The Supplier Welcome Pack provides essential information for suppliers working with the Ministry of Justice. The Supplier Welcome Pack is available here Supplier Welcome Pack
Information security and privacy
AOD reports contain personal information about the offender. You must have appropriate security and privacy protections in place to keep this information safe.
The Standard Terms and Conditions detail the Ministry’s information security and privacy requirements.
These guides provide more information on how you can meet the Ministry’s requirements:
Privacy guidelines for providers of justice services(external link)
Best practice guidance for third party vendors(external link)
Health and safety
When you write AOD reports for the panel you will sometimes work with people in difficult circumstances who may be unpredictable. You should have both physical safety and general wellbeing strategies in place. This could include:
- selecting in-person meeting places carefully
- using risk assessment and management tools to plan assessments
- having appropriate support or supervision in place.
Court and Justice System training modules
It is important that approved AOD report writers have a good understanding of how the courts work. The Ministry has free Court and Justice System training modules available for all providers. These are recommended if you are new to writing reports for the court. They may also have information that is helpful if you are an experienced writer.
The training modules are available at: Learn about the justice system(external link)
Standard Terms and Conditions
The Standard Terms and Conditions for AOD report writers outlines details about the AOD Report Writers Service including how reports are requested and the fixed rate for a report. The Standard Terms and Conditions are available here: AOD Standard Terms and Conditions [PDF, 329 KB]
Resources
Use the quick links below to find key resources: