Australia has a hierarchical court system made up of federal and state/territory courts. Each level of court handles different types of legal matters, ranging from minor offences and civil claims to serious criminal trials and constitutional disputes.
Understanding which court handles your legal issue is critical, whether you’re dealing with a traffic offence, family law dispute, or serious criminal charge.
These are the lowest courts in each state and territory and deal with:
Summary (minor) criminal offences
Committal hearings for indictable offences
Traffic offences
Small civil disputes
Bail applications
No jury trials are conducted in these courts — all matters are heard by a magistrate.
These are intermediate courts that handle:
Indictable criminal offences (e.g., assault, drug offences, fraud)
Jury trials
Appeals from Local/Magistrates’ Courts
Civil matters involving larger sums of money (varies by state)
The highest state-level courts, responsible for:
The most serious criminal charges (e.g., murder, manslaughter)
Appeals from lower courts
Complex civil litigation
Supervising court procedure and legal interpretation
Usually part of the Supreme Court, Courts of Appeal hear:
Appeals from Supreme, District/County Courts
Sentence and conviction appeals
Civil appeals involving large or complex matters
Federal courts deal with matters governed by Commonwealth law, including:
Family law
Bankruptcy
Taxation
Corporate and industrial law
Migration
Main Federal courts include:
Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Div 1 and 2)
Federal Court of Australia
High Court of Australia
The highest court in the country, it hears:
Constitutional challenges
Appeals from federal and state supreme courts (by special leave)
Landmark legal issues with national significance
| Legal Area | Handled By |
|---|---|
| Traffic offences | Local/Magistrates’ Court |
| Minor criminal | Local/Magistrates’ Court |
| Serious criminal | District/County or Supreme Court |
| Civil disputes | Local, District/County, or Supreme (depending on amount) |
| Family law | Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia |
| Migration & tax | Federal Court |
| Appeals | District/County, Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, or High Court |
| Constitutional | High Court of Australia |
Local Court: Handles minor criminal matters and small civil claims
District Court: Handles serious criminal cases and civil disputes up to $750,000
Supreme Court of NSW: For serious crimes, civil cases, and appeals
NSW Court of Criminal Appeal: Hears sentence and conviction appeals
Magistrates’ Court of Victoria: Minor offences and civil cases under $100,000
County Court: Jury trials for criminal offences, civil disputes over $100,000
Supreme Court of Victoria: Serious criminal trials, major civil cases, and appeals
Court of Appeal: Appeals from County and Supreme Courts
Magistrates Court: First point of contact for criminal and civil cases
District Court: Indictable offences and civil cases over $150,000
Supreme Court of Queensland: Murder trials, major civil litigation, and appeals
Magistrates Court: Entry-level for all criminal and civil matters
District Court: Serious criminal matters and civil claims up to $750,000
Supreme Court: Hears major criminal cases and large-scale civil disputes
Magistrates Court: Deals with summary offences and civil claims under $100,000
District Court: Handles more serious criminal matters and intermediate civil disputes
Supreme Court: For murder trials, complex commercial litigation, and appeals
Magistrates Court: Summary offences, traffic, and minor civil disputes
Supreme Court of the ACT: Deals with major criminal trials, civil litigation, and appeals
While we don’t provide legal advice—as every case is unique and only a qualified lawyer is permitted to do so—we’ll do our best to guide you with relevant general information. If we’re unable to assist, we can refer your query to a licensed criminal lawyer.
