Melbourne Magistrates Court

Melbourne Magistrates Court is located at 233 William Street in the Melbourne CBD. It is located opposite the County Court and diagonally across from the Supreme Court.

The Magistrates Court is the court where all criminal matters involving adults commence. It is also the court that hears summary criminal matters including traffic offences, as well as family violence and personal safety intervention order applications. Indictable offence matters are also commenced in this court for initial procedural hearings before they progress to the County Court across the street. While the Magistrates Court deals with criminal matters where the accused is aged 18 or older, the Children’s Court (located in the same building) deals with criminal matters where the accused is under 18, with intervention order applications where the respondent is under 18 and with child protection matters.

If you have a matter in the Melbourne Magistrates Court, make sure you arrive at court well before the time your matter is listed to be heard. You should be neatly and conservatively dressed and you should come prepared to be at court for most of the day.

The Melbourne Magistrates Court has no dedicated court parking. There is usually ample parking around the streets surrounding the court building, however during business times parking can often be limited. There are various car park buildings nearby and access by train is easy via the Flagstaff station (just a half block down William Street). If you are attending court for traffic offences for which the court may impose a licence disqualification period, do not drive to court as you may not be permitted to drive home.

A court list is also displayed in glass frames in the foyer of the Melbourne Magistrates Court (just to the right wall before the elevators). You will be able to establish which court room and level your matter will be heard by looking at those screens, or by asking at the court registry (to the right of security). You should always still inform the court of your presence at the counter before heading into the court room. Intervention Order matters will ordinarily be heard on level 6 and you should make your appearance at the counter on this level. Criminal matters are ordinarily heard on level 3 and you should make your appearance at the counter on this level. The court registry can assist you with there to speak to Prosecution and where to obtain assistance from a duty lawyer.

While the Melbourne Magistrates Court generally deals with matters where the alleged offending conduct occurred in the CBD or inner suburbs of Melbourne or, usually only by request of the accused and upon the matter resolving as a plea of guilty, where the accused resides in the inner suburbs of Melbourne or in the CBD. There are also Magistrates Courts located in the eastern, northern and western suburbs.