Corby's flamboyant defence lawyer Hotman Paris Hutapea said he now expected the court to announce its decision next week, although public offices and most businesses in Bali will be closed on Wednesday for an annual religious celebration. Hutapea said 20 years was extraordinarily harsh for the crime. He said he was confident Corby's sentence will at least be cut, particularly in light of a recent report critical of Australian airport security.

"I don't expect the judges will go above 20 years, I'm optimistic that at least they will reduce the sentence," Hutapea said.

Corby's family is also prepared to take the case all the way to Indonesia's highest court.

"If she's not going home, we will appeal again," Mercedes said. "She didn't get a fair hearing (before Denpasar District Court), We just hope the High Court looks at everything that happened in the first trial and the way the police handled the investigation."

Corby, who currently shares a cell with a dozen other women, was arrested on October 8 last year after customs officers at Bali airport found a stash of marijuana in her unlocked luggage. Her lawyers had hoped to organise a video link from Australia to allow new mystery witnesses to testify about who allegedly owned the drugs, but they were unable to convince the High Court that they had found credible witnesses with fresh information.

Corby's supporters say the Australian government has done too little to help arrange testimony from a witness known only as Paul, who allegedly knew who owned the marijuana. Hutapea said no new witnesses would be given the chance to testify if the case goes before the Supreme Court.

Saturday Oct 8 16:13 AEST

Schapelle Corby's supporters have likened the convicted drug smuggler to Nelson Mandela on Saturday, exactly one year after she was first put behind bars.

On October 8 last year, Corby, 28, was arrested by Indonesian police at Denpasar Airport, where customs officers found 4.1kg of marijuana in her unlocked boogie-board bag. She was jailed for 20 years in May this year, and is now awaiting the outcome of an appeal to the Bali High Court that could set her free, reduce her sentence or increase it to life imprisonment.

Corby supporter Rachelle Hamilton said, "She's said she's been there a year and she's done the year, and if she strengthens herself, she will make it through, She's strong, she's got a really strong and growing faith. She may be one of these very special people. Nelson Mandela was in jail for a long time and he ended up being a great leader and maybe she might have a destiny in her life of the same thing."

Supporters have made a book, called Footprints, containing words of encouragement written to her, it was written at a rally organised by Ms Hamilton for Ms Corby's birthday.

"We were able to send a book over to her last weekend with (her mother) Rosleigh, I am sure she will be encouraged by the beautiful words in this book. The letters of support she has received are really holding her up. I really believe that in the end there will be hope for Schapelle. She will not be forgotten by the people of Australia."

It has been reported that one of the three High Court judges hearing Corby's appeal believes she is innocent, but if the appeal fails, her lawyers plan to go to Indonesia's highest court, the Supreme Court. Corby's sentence sparked widespread anger in Australia earlier this year, with supporters claiming the drugs were planted in her bag by corrupt baggage handlers. The former Gold Coast beauty school student, who has repeatedly maintained her innocence, will be alone for her grim anniversary, as prison rule bans visitors on weekends. Corby's mother, Rosleigh Rose, and sister Mercedes visited her in Denpasar's Kerobokan Jail on Friday to celebrate Mercedes' birthday.