Information for AOD report writers on the panel
On this page:
How approved AOD report writers are engaged
Approved AOD report writers may be engaged to prepare reports that are either ordered by a judge or requested by a lawyer. The number of reports you are asked to complete will vary.
If a judge orders a report, the court registry 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.
Once you have agreed to complete the report, you will receive an engagement/ referral letter from the court registry or lawyer. The engagement/ referral letter will include the fixed rate, relevant case details and the report due date. Reports must be submitted to the court no later than 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]
After completing the report, submit your invoice and the report to the court registry or lawyer who engaged you.
What the AOD report must include
Approved AOD report writers must use the Ministry-approved AOD report template. The report template will be published soon.
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
Invoicing
Before the Ministry can process your first invoice, you need to be setup as a Ministry supplier. More information on how to do this is available here: Supplier Welcome Pack.You will need to complete this creditor form: MOJ creditor form [PDF, 192 KB]
Clause 12 of the Standard Terms and Conditions has more information on payment and invoicing. It is available here: AOD Standard Terms and Conditions [PDF, 329 KB]
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 links below to find key resources:
MOJ creditor form [PDF, 192 KB]
AOD Standard Terms and Conditions [PDF, 329 KB]