This morning George Pell will find out whether he stays in prison or is freed. The decision, whichever way it goes, will be keenly felt in Ballarat, the city where Pell grew up and began his career in the priesthood.
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Supreme Court Chief Justice Anne Ferguson, Justice Chris Maxwell, the president of the Court of Appeal and Justice Mark Weinberg presided over the appeal proceedings in June.
Now, after more than two months, the judges are making their decision public, with the process being live-streamed from the Victorian supreme court.
At around 9.30am, Chief Justice Anne Ferguson will make introductory remarks, then the judges will announce their decision. Orders of the court will be read out followed by a summary of conclusions.
The process is expected to be over within 45 minutes.
It is more than possible - likely, in fact - that this will not be the end of a legal process that has already taken many years since the initial accusation.
Even if the appeal is dismissed, there remain other avenues for Pell's legal team to explore, including taking the matter to the High Court. Conversely if Pell is freed, prosecutors could also decide to appeal.
Shireen Gunn, who manages the Ballarat Centre Against Sexual Assault (CASA), is anticipating the decision will have a ripple effect throughout Ballarat - not just for victims of institutional abuse, but secondary victims and the wider community.
"[The decision] is something that is out of our control, and you look at what you can control," she said. "For some people that might be about not following social media or not following what the outcome is."
Ms Gunn said seeking support was the most crucial advice if people are affected by the heavy coverage the judges' decision is likely to prompt.
She advised people to speak to a close family member or friend that they trust, or contact a counsellor at the CASA centre.
"They can ring in anonymously, they don't have to give their name and they can just talk about how they are feeling," she said. "We have prepared. We have enough counsellors to take the calls."
"Whatever way it goes, we are expecting there will be an impact on our clients and our community in general."
- Anyone affected can phone CASA, Sebastopol on 5320 3933, or free-call the crisis care line 24 hours on 1800 806 292. Or call Lifeline on 13 11 14, or Relationships Australia on 1300 364 277.
