Going to court
Court guides
Nobody explains a courthouse to you before you have to walk into one. These guides do. Where the building is, where to park, what time to get there, how to find your name on the list, what a mention actually involves and how long you will be stuck there.
Why we wrote these
The most common thing people tell us after a first court date is that the law was not the frightening part. The building was. Not knowing where to stand, whether you could bring your phone in, what you were supposed to say, or why you sat there for three hours to be dealt with in ninety seconds.
None of that is written down anywhere useful. So we wrote it down. These guides are free, they contain no sales pitch, and they are as useful to somebody using the duty lawyer as they are to a client of ours.
They cover the five Queensland courts we are in most often. If your matter is at Coolangatta, Holland Park, Richlands, Wynnum, Cleveland, Ipswich or Caboolture, most of the general advice still applies. The addresses do not, so check yours on the notice to appear.
The things that are true at every Queensland courthouse
- Arrive early. Thirty to forty five minutes before your listed time. Security queues, and you need to read the list.
- Dress neatly. Queensland Courts asks you to show respect for the court by dressing neatly. You do not have to wear a suit. No singlets, no thongs, no hats in the courtroom.
- Turn your phone off. Not silent. Off. Recording or photographing proceedings is prohibited.
- No eating, drinking or chewing gum in the courtroom. There is somewhere outside to do that.
- Bow your head to the coat of arms behind the bench when you enter and leave, and stand when the magistrate or judge does.
- Call the magistrate or judge "Your Honour".
- Ask about the duty lawyer as soon as you arrive if you do not have your own solicitor. The service is free and it fills up.
- Southport Magistrates CourtCnr Davenport and Hinze Streets, Southport. Courts 1 to 9, most matters listed 9:00am. The busiest court on the Gold Coast.
- Brisbane Magistrates Court363 George Street, Brisbane. Twenty six courtrooms, the arrest court, the domestic violence list and the Murri Court in one building.
- Beenleigh Magistrates CourtCnr Kent and James Streets, Beenleigh. Serves Logan and the northern Gold Coast corridor. The District Court also sits here.
- Southport District CourtLevels 3 and 4 of the Southport courthouse. Indictable sentences, jury trials and appeals from the Magistrates Court.
- Brisbane District CourtQueen Elizabeth II Courts of Law, 415 George Street. Shared with the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal, so read the list carefully.
- Caboolture Magistrates Court30 King Street, Caboolture. Serves the corridor between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast. The registry closes early on Tuesdays.
- Maroochydore Magistrates CourtCornmeal Parade, Maroochydore. The main Sunshine Coast court, and the District Court sits in the same building. Review mentions are at 2:00pm.
- Pine Rivers Magistrates Court374 Gympie Road, Strathpine. Named Pine Rivers, sits at Strathpine, and is legally part of the Caboolture district.
- Cleveland Magistrates Court5 Middle Street, Cleveland. The only Magistrates Court for the whole of Redland City, and one of fifteen Murri Court locations.
- Wynnum Magistrates Court76 Pine Street, Wynnum. No court sits here on a Wednesday, because the Wynnum magistrate is at Cleveland that day.
- Richlands Magistrates CourtCnr Old Progress and Archerfield Roads. Three courtrooms, shared with a Transport and Main Roads counter, and heavy on work licence applications.
- Holland Park Magistrates Court8 Marshall Road, Holland Park. Domestic violence callover every Wednesday, and the transport and work licence list sits at 1:30pm.
- Tweed Heads Local Court (NSW)50-52 Recreation Street, Tweed Heads. A New South Wales court twenty minutes from Coolangatta, with different charges, sentencing and licence appeals.
- Parramatta Local Court (NSW)12 George Street, Parramatta. Seven courts a day, one of only four NSW Drug Court locations, and the day of the week decides your list.
- Downing Centre, Sydney (NSW)143-147 Liverpool Street, above Museum station. The largest criminal court complex in NSW, with the Local Court on Level 4 and the District Court on Level 3.
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