Deanna Caruso

Profile

Deanna practises across criminal, regulatory and disciplinary law. She is an experienced criminal law trial barrister and is particularly interested in the resolution of complex evidentiary and legal issues as part of an overall litigation strategy, regularly providing written advice across a range of criminal and administrative matters.

Deanna regularly appears in criminal jury trials in the Supreme Court and County Court for both prosecution and defence, and has experience in cases involving allegations of murder, driving cases involving deaths, complex fraud, drug and firearm offending and sexual offending. She has experience in proceedings arising under the Serious Offenders Act 2018 and the Crimes (Mental Impairment and Unfitness to be Tried) Act 1997. 

Deanna also maintains a strong practice in regulatory and disciplinary matters, appearing for both defence and for regulatory authorities and prosecuting agencies across areas such as the Domestic Animals Act, Firearms Review matters and VCAT Regulation and Review List cases such as Working with Children Check matters.

Deanna is on the Victoria Legal Aid Preferred Trial Counsel List and holds an Indictable Crimes Certificate (ICC) from the Victorian Bar (since 2016). She is a Lead Counsel for the Victoria Legal Aid Trial Counsel Development Program.