The Australian Book of Great Trials focuses on some of nation's remarkable stories

THE author sums it up perfectly by suggesting that "these are not just Australia's greatest trials" but "also some of our most remarkable stories".

THE author sums it up perfectly in the introduction to this book by suggesting that "these are not just Australia's greatest trials" but they are "also some of our most remarkable stories".

Be it the tale of the Eureka Stockade controversy at Ballarat in 1854, infamous outlaw and folk hero Ned Kelly, accused and aggrieved mother Lindy Chamberlain, Eddie Mabo's historic fight for indigenous ownership of land or the man who would come to be known as Jihad Jack, it's all covered in this book.

The Chamberlain family's ordeal makes for particularly enthralling reading. And it's a case that could yet have another chapter in another book, with the Northern Territory Government having opened a fourth inquest to attempt to discover the true cause of baby Azaria's death.

Not all the cases covered in detail here by Stoljar are actually trials. In the early 1950s, it was the High Court that torpedoed Robert Menzies' bid to outlaw the Communist Party.

It took 23 days to make a decision, but no jury and no witnesses were required.

There are also reminders of the way that disputes were once resolved before such things as trials took place.

Up until the 13th century one option used to find out if someone was guilty of a crime was to have them hold a hot stone in their hands. If their hands didn't burn, they were judged innocent.

Thankfully, trials were soon introduced for both civil and criminal matters. Australia's most famous, or perhaps infamous, are covered in depth in this book.

Verdict: Well worth a read

The Australian Book Of Great Trials by Jeremy Stoljar
Pier 9, $29.99