The review looks at the links between language and the law and how this affects the administration of justice – especially when dealing with disadvantaged offenders. The review forms part of a preliminary study sociolinguistic study of one of the specialist court programs in Australia, the Koori Court of Victoria, which aims to demonstrate that understanding. A key question of this review is to identify whether an awareness of cultural and linguistic differences in the administration of justice has remained the focus of the Court. The point is made that just because someone speaks English they do not necessarily know what is being said. Other elements of the Koori Court and the role of indigenous culture in the administration of justice are also detailed.