Magistrates Court

The Magistrates Court is the first level of the Court system and deals with most legal disputes in Victoria.

It has seven divisions:

• The Industrial Division (employee disputes)
• Neighbourhood Justice
• Drug Court
• Koori Court
• Family Violence Court
• Municipal Electoral TribunalA body set up to hear and decide disputes, usually with less formality and less strict rules of evidence than in a court proceeding. More
• Victims of Crime Assistance TribunalA body set up to hear and decide disputes, usually with less formality and less strict rules of evidence than in a court proceeding. More

It has original jurisdiction‘Original jurisdiction’ gives a court authority to hear a case first.  This means that if you have a legal issue and you want to take it to court, your first attempt must be at the court with ‘Original Jurisdiction’ over the issue. Note: ‘Original jurisdiction’ can also be called ‘first instance jurisdiction.’ More over:

• Fines
• Less serious criminal offences (summary offences), such as: traffic offences, property damage, common assault or offensive behaviour
• Burglary and theft (if the accused agrees)
• Determining if there is enough evidence in a serious criminal offence that the accused need to stand trial (committal proceedings)
• Civil matters with claims under $100,000
• Intervention orders
• Family violence matters (for most issues)

For more information:

• Magistrates Court of Victoria
• Neighbourhood Justice Centre
• Magistrates Court Act 1989 (Vic)
• Appealing a Magistrates Court decision