Kellie Toole

Dr Kellie Toole

Senior Lecturer

Adelaide Law School

Faculty of Arts, Business, Law and Economics

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD (as Co-Supervisor) - email supervisor to discuss availability.

I joined the permanent staff of the Adelaide Law School as a full-time academic in 2012 after having practiced as a criminal defence lawyer. I teach in:

Evidence Law
Criminal Law and Procedure
Military Disciplinary Law

My interest in both legal practice, teaching and research is at the intersection of criminal law and human rights law. I am undertaking a PhD on how prosecutors decide whether to prosecute particular cases.

I am also on the Management Committee for the Research Unit in Military Law and Ethics (RUMLAE). My military research interest is the involvement of returned service men and women in the civilian criminal justice system.

Feel free to give me a call or drop me an email any time if you would like to talk about any of my teaching or research interests or work experience.

  • Appointments
    Date Position Institution name
    2014 - ongoing Lecturer University of Adelaide
    2011 - 2013 Associate Lecturer University of Adelaide
    2007 - 2009 Criminal defence lawyer Legal Services Commission
    2006 - 2007 Researcher Parliamentary Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse
    2006 - ongoing Volunteer Paralegal (Death Penalty) Gulf Region Advocacy Centre (GRACE) Houston TX

  • Postgraduate Training
    Date Title Institution Country
    Barrister and Solicitor Supreme Court of South Australia and the High Court of Australia Australia

  • Research Interests
    Criminal Law and Procedure Law Lawyering and the Legal Profession

  • Journals
    Year Citation
    2023 Toole, K., & Waddell, E. (2023). Veteran perceptions of pathways to offending: ex-Australian Defence Force personnel in South Australian prisons. Griffith Law Review, 32(1), 1-29.
    DOI
    2020 Toole, K. L., & Waddell, E. (2020). Too Many Veterans in South Australian Prisons. The Last Post, 21, 44.
    2019 Toole, K. L. (2019). Building a Legal Research and Writing Community across Hemispheres. Association of American Law Schools Legal Writing, Reasoning, and Research Bulletin, Summer, 25-27.
    2018 Toole, K. (2018). Do Criminals Need a 'Criminal Mind'?. Legaldate, 30(2), 3-6.
    2018 Toole, K., & Plater, D. (2018). Derivative Liability and South Australia's New Firearms Law: "Inherently Dangerous" or the "Best Gun Laws in the Country"?. Criminal Law Journal, 42(4), 261-269.
    2017 Toole, K. (2017). Trial by jury - Essential protection or relic of the past?. Legaldate, 29(2), 8-12.
    2016 Toole, K., & Plater, D. (2016). Suppliers of illegal firearms responsible for their future use. Alternative Law Journal, 41(2), 139.
    2016 Toole, K. L. (2016). Looking behind jury verdicts NH, Jakaj, Zefi and Stakaj v the South Australian Director of Public Prosecutions. Alternative Law Journal, 41(4), 288.
    2016 Larkin, D., Boehringer, G., Arnold, B. B., McLoughlin, K., Roper, I., Page, S., . . . Castan, S. (2016). Downunderallover: Developments around the country. Alternative Law Journal, 41(4), 285-290.
    DOI
    2016 Toole, K. L. (2016). SA Law Reform Institute Recommends Abolition of Religious Oaths. Alternative Law Journal, 41(1), 69.
    2015 Toole, K. (2015). Marital rape: retrospectivity and the common law. Criminal Law Journal, 39(6), 286-302.
    2015 Toole, K. L. (2015). South Australia: Reform of laws that discriminate on the grounds of Sexual Orientation, Gender, Gender Identity and Intersex Status. Alternative Law Journal, 40(4), 286-287.
    2015 Toole, K. (2015). Reform of Laws that Discriminate on the Grounds of Sexual Orientation, Gender, Gender Identity and Inter-sex Status. Alternative Law Journal, 40(4), 286-287.
    2014 Toole, K. L., & Branson, C. (2014). Time for South Australia to adopt the Uniform Evidence Act. Law Society Bulletin.
    2014 Toole, K. L. (2014). Review of mental impairment defence. Alternative Law Journal, 39(2).
    2014 Toole, K. L., & Le Mire, S. (2014). From failure to hope: Lawyer regulation in South Australia. Alternative Law Journal, 39(1).
    2014 Toole, K. L. (2014). The making of prosecutorial decisions in australia. Alternative Law Journal, 39(4), 268-269.
    DOI Scopus1
    2013 Toole, K. (2013). South Australia and the defence of provocation. Alternative Law Journal, 38(4), 270-271.
    DOI Scopus1
    2013 Toole, K. (2013). Defensive homicide on trial In Victoria. Monash University Law Review, 39(2), 473-505.
    2013 Hewitt, A., & Toole, K. (2013). The practical knowledge conundrum: What practical knowledge should be included in a law school curriculum and how can it be taught?. New Zealand Universities Law Review, 25(5), 980-1022.
    2013 Toole, K. L. (2013). Admission of "bad character" evidence'. Alternative Law Journal, 38(4).
    2013 Toole, K. L., Giancaspro, M., & Walding, C. (2013). Students open up about mental health and well-being. Law Society Bulletin.
    2013 Toole, K. L. (2013). Evidence (Identification) Bill 2012. Alternative Law Journal, 38(1).
    2013 Toole, K. L. (2013). Marital Rape: High Court decision handed down. Alternative Law Journal, 37(3).
    2012 Toole, K. L. (2012). Three plead guilty to bestiality offences. Alternative Law Journal, 37(4).
    2012 Toole, K. (2012). Self-defence and the reasonable woman: Equality before the new Victorian law. Melbourne University Law Review, 36(1), 250-286.
    Scopus5
    2011 Toole, K. (2011). Marital rape in South Australia: R v P, GA. Criminal Law Journal, 35(4), 237-251.
    2011 Toole, K. L. (2011). Rape in Marriage in South Australian Law: Return to the 1960s?. Alternative Law Journal, 36(3), 194-196.
    2011 Toole, K. L., & Caruso, D. (2011). Evidence (Discreditable Conduct) Amendment Act 2011 (SA). Alternative Law Journal, 36(4).
    2011 Toole, K. L. (2011). Law Institute for South Australia. Alternative Law Journal, 36(1).
    2011 Toole, K. (2011). Domestic Violence: Marital Rape in South Australia, a Return to the 60s?. Alternative Law Journal, 36(3), 194.
    DOI

  • Books
    Year Citation
    2024 Toole, K. (2024). Prosecuting Crime in the Public Interest: How Tension between Independence and Accountability Threatens the Rule of Law in Australia. Hart Publishing.
    2016 Caruso, D., Buth, R., Heath, M., Leader-Elliott, I., Leader-Elliott, P., Naffine, N., . . . Toole, K. (2016). South Australian Criminal Law and Procedure, 2nd Edition (2 ed.). South Australia: LexisNexis Butterworths.
    2014 Caruso, D., Buth, R., Heath, M., Leader-Elliott, I., Leader-Elliott, P., Naffine, N., . . . Toole, K. (2014). South Australian criminal law: review and critique. Australia: LexisNexis Butterworths.

  • Book Chapters
    Year Citation
    2024 Stubbs, M., & Toole, K. (2024). Legal Issues Arising from Administrative Termination and Disciplinary Dismissal. In R. Creyke, D. Stephens, & P. Sutherland (Eds.), Military Law in Australia (2nd ed., pp. 122). Alexandria: Federation Press.
    2023 Burdon, P., & Toole, K. (2023). Education for Citizenship and Social Justice: Students as Co-creators. In H. Gibbon, B. Golder, L. Lixinski, M. Nehme, & P. Vines (Eds.), Education for Citizenship and Social Justice: Students as Co-creators. London: Routledge.
    2019 Toole, K. (2019). Building Career Readiness for Criminal Law Practice. In A. Diver (Ed.), Employability via Higher Education: Sustainability as Scholarship (pp. 489-502). Cham, Switzerland: Springer Nature.
    2019 Toole, K. (2019). The Decision to Prosecute – The Accountability of Australian Prosecutors. In V. Colvin, & P. Stenning (Eds.), The Evolving Role of the Public Prosecutor Challenges and Innovations (1 ed., pp. 232-248). USA & UK: Routledge.
    DOI Scopus1
    2016 Toole, K. (2016). Introduction to Criminal Procedure. In D. caruso, R. Buth, M. Heath, I. Leader-Elliott, P. Leader-Elliott, N. Naffine, . . . K. Toole (Eds.), South Australian Criminal Law and Procedure, 2nd Edition (2 ed., pp. 455-466). LexisNexis.
    2016 Toole, K. (2016). Introduction to Criminal Procedure. In D. caruso, R. Buth, M. Heath, I. Leader-Elliott, P. Leader-Elliott, N. Naffine, . . . K. Toole (Eds.), South Australian Criminal Law and Procedure, 2nd Edition (2 ed., pp. 455-466). LexisNexis.
    2016 Toole, K., Caruso, D., & Grant, M. (2016). The Role of Police. In D. caruso, R. Buth, M. Heath, I. Leader-Elliott, P. Leader-Elliott, N. Naffin, . . . K. Toole (Eds.), South Australian Criminal Law and Procedure, 2nd edition (2 ed., pp. 467-512). LexisNexis.
    2016 Toole, K., Caruso, D., & Grant, M. (2016). The Role of Police. In D. caruso, R. Buth, M. Heath, I. Leader-Elliott, P. Leader-Elliott, N. Naffin, . . . K. Toole (Eds.), South Australian Criminal Law and Procedure, 2nd edition (2 ed., pp. 467-512). LexisNexis.
    2016 Toole, K., Caruso, D., & Grant, M. (2016). The Role of Courts. In D. caruso, R. Buth, M. Heath, I. Leader-Elliott, P. Leader-Elliott, N. Naffin, . . . K. Toole (Eds.), South Australian Criminal Law and Procedure, 2nd edition (2 ed., pp. 513-542).
    2016 Toole, K., Caruso, D., & Grant, M. (2016). The Role of Courts. In D. caruso, R. Buth, M. Heath, I. Leader-Elliott, P. Leader-Elliott, N. Naffin, . . . K. Toole (Eds.), South Australian Criminal Law and Procedure, 2nd edition (2 ed., pp. 513-542).
    2016 Leader-Elliott, I. (2016). Offences of Dishonesty. In D. Caruso, R. Buth, M. Heath, I. Leader-Elliott, P. Leader-Elliott, N. Naffin, . . . K. Toole (Eds.), South Australian Criminal Law and Precedure (Second ed., pp. 107-164). NSW; Australia: LexisNexis Butterworths.
    2016 Leader-Elliott, I., & Caruso, D. (2016). Intoxication. In D. Caruso, R. Buth, M. Heath, I. Leader-Elliott, P. Leader-Elliott, N. Naffin, . . . K. Toole (Eds.), South Australian Criminal Law and Procedure (Second ed., pp. 399-417). NSW; Australia: LexisNexis Butterworths.
    2016 Plater, D., Goode, M., Langos, C., & Crawford, N. (2016). Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person. In D. Caruso, R. Buth, M. Heath, I. Leader-Elliott, P. Leader-Elliott, N. Naffine, . . . K. Toole (Eds.), South Australian Criminal Law: Review and Critique (2nd ed., pp. 0). Chatswood, NSW: Lexis Nexis.
    2014 Plater, D., Caruso, D., Toole, K., Naffine, N., Buth, R., Heath, M., . . . Leader-Elliott, P. (2014). Chapter 6: Offences Against the Person. In D. Carsuo (Ed.), South Australian Criminal Law: Review and Critique. LexisNexis Butterworths.

  • Report for External Bodies
    Year Citation
    2023 Wadham, B., Connor, J., Toole, K., & Thomas, E. (2023). Mapping Service and Transition to Self-Harm and Suicidality: Research Paper.
    2023 Wadham, B., Hordacre, A. -L., Waddell, E., Toole, K., & Collins, P. (2023). Research into experiences of ex-serving Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel in corrective services systems in Australia.
    2021 Waddell, E., Moretti, C., Wadham, B., Halsey, M., Hordacre, A. -L., Toole, K., & Collins, P. (2021). What are the risk factors for ex-serving defence force personnel to enter corrective service systems in Australia and/or other relevant jurisdictions?.

  • Internet Publications
    Year Citation
    - Webster, A. L., & Toole, K. (n.d.). Don’t expect ‘world first’ impact statement to transform sentencing.
    - Toole, K. L. (n.d.). SA Should Abolish Provocation.
    - Toole, K. L. (n.d.). Queensland Still Failing to Act on Medieval Murder Defence.
    - Toole, K. L. (n.d.). Only in America: Why Australia is Right not to have Grand Juries.
    - Toole, K. L. (n.d.). Plea Bargaining: Who Gets the Best Deal.
    - Toole, K. L. (n.d.). In Plea Bargaining, Who Really Gets the Bargain.
    - Toole, K. L. (n.d.). Time to stop protecting the protectors of child sex abusers.
    - Toole, K. L. (n.d.). Time to End, Not Extend, The Legal Institution of Marriage.
    - Toole, K. L., & Le Mire, S. (n.d.). Parliament Responds to McGee case on 10 Year Anniversary.
    - Toole, K. L. (n.d.). Same Sex (Same Old) Marriage.
    - Toole, K. L. (n.d.). Panic About the "Gay Panic" Defence - SA Reform to Provocation Proposed'.
    - Toole, K. L. (n.d.). The Flip Side of Double Jeopardy - Australian First for Prisoners' Right to Appeal.
    - Toole, K. L. (n.d.). End of the Line for Police ‘Line-ups’ in South Australia?.
    - Toole, K. L. (n.d.). In Australia, reconsidering ‘marital rape immunity’.

  • Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2024 Co-Supervisor Environmental Crime: a comparative study of pollution in water, air, and land in Australia and Europe. Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Marie Beillevert
    2023 Co-Supervisor The Stories We Tell Ourselves: National Memories and Historical Narratives in International Legal Claims Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Xuan W Tay
    2023 Co-Supervisor Criminalising Wage Theft: Comparative Insights from Australia, Norway and the United States for an International Response Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Miss Irene Angela Nikoloudakis

  • Editorial Boards
    Date Role Editorial Board Name Institution Country
    2013 - ongoing Editor Alternative Law Journal - -

  • Offices Held
    Date Office Name Institution Country
    2023 - ongoing Acting Associate Dean (Learning and Teaching) University of Adelaide Australia
  • Position: Senior Lecturer
  • Phone: 83134440
  • Email: kellie.toole@adelaide.edu.au
  • Fax: 83134344
  • Campus: North Terrace
  • Building: Ligertwood, floor 2
  • Org Unit: Adelaide Law School
Connect With Me
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