Which Court will hear your matter?

Almost every criminal and traffic matter starts in the Local Court, which deals with first mentions, bail applications, all traffic offences, and defended hearings for less serious (summary and Table) offences, sitting before a Magistrate without a jury.

More serious indictable offences proceed, after a committal hearing in the Local Court, to the District Court, which generally sits with a judge and jury and deals with matters such as more serious assault, robbery, and drug supply charges, as well as appeals from the Local Court.

The most serious offences in NSW, including murder, manslaughter and the largest drug and firearms matters, are dealt with by the Supreme Court, which also hears bail reviews where an application has been refused in a lower Court.