About Australian Court Listings

What Is an Australian Court List?

An Australian court list — also referred to as a cause list, daily list or hearing list — is an official schedule published by a court or tribunal setting out every matter listed for hearing on a given day. Each entry typically shows the case name or number, the allocated courtroom, the scheduled time, and the type of proceeding (such as a hearing, mention, plea, sentencing or directions). Court lists are a cornerstone of Australia's open-justice system: by making scheduling information publicly available, courts enable legal practitioners, journalists, litigants and members of the public to attend and observe proceedings.

Understanding Court List Types and Abbreviations

Across Australian states and territories, court lists use abbreviated codes to describe the type of matter listed. Common abbreviations include:

• HRG — Hearing: a substantive proceeding where evidence or arguments are presented to a judge or magistrate.
• MEN — Mention: a short administrative appearance to update the court on a matter's progress.
• PLG / PLE — Plea of Guilty or Plea: the accused enters a formal plea before the court.
• DP — Directions/Pre-trial: procedural hearing where the court sets timetables and directions.
• F&S — Fixture and Sentence: a matter listed for a fixed hearing date or sentencing.
• BA — Bail Application: an application for bail to be granted or varied.
• PB — Plea and Bail: combined plea and bail-related proceeding.
• ARC — Adjourned for Review of Charge: matter adjourned to review the charges.

List type codes can differ between states and court tiers. If unsure of an abbreviation, the relevant court registry can provide clarification.

The Federal Court of Australia — Daily Hearing Lists

The Federal Court of Australia is the primary federal superior court, exercising original jurisdiction in matters including corporations, bankruptcy, intellectual property, administrative law, native title, industrial relations and human rights. It publishes daily hearing lists for all eight state and territory registries: ACT, NSW, NT, QLD, SA, TAS, VIC and WA. Lists are updated at approximately 4:30 pm each business day for the following day's proceedings.

How to Find Your Court Listing

1. Search bar — Type a court name, suburb, city or state abbreviation into the search box above. Results appear instantly from all courts across Australia.
2. Browse by state — Select your state in the Browse by State section to see all court listings for that jurisdiction.
3. Court types — Use the Court Types Covered section above to navigate directly to Federal, Supreme, District, Magistrates or Family Court lists.
4. Verify before attending — Always confirm your hearing details with the relevant court registry. Listings can change after publication if a matter is adjourned, vacated or relisted.

Who Uses CourtListAU?

• Legal practitioners — Barristers, solicitors and paralegals checking clients' listings and confirming hearing times across multiple registries.
• Self-represented litigants — Individuals who need to confirm their own hearing dates, times and courtroom allocations without attending a registry in person.
• Journalists and media — Court reporters covering proceedings of public interest across Magistrates, District, Supreme and Federal courts.
• Family members and support persons — People attending court to support a friend or family member who need to know when and where to be.
• Researchers and academics — Legal researchers, criminologists and policy analysts monitoring court activity and caseload trends across Australian jurisdictions.

Australian Court Hierarchy — Quick Reference

• High Court of Australia — The apex court, hearing final appeals on constitutional and significant legal questions.
• Federal Court of Australia — Federal superior court covering corporations, bankruptcy, intellectual property, native title and more.
• Federal Circuit and Family Court (FCFCOA) — Handles family law, divorce, parenting disputes and general federal law matters.
• State Supreme Courts — Highest state courts for serious criminal trials, major civil matters and appeals (NSW, VIC, QLD, SA, WA, TAS).
• District / County Courts — Intermediate courts for serious indictable offences and civil claims above the Magistrates' threshold.
• Magistrates / Local Courts — Entry-level courts dealing with summary offences, minor civil claims and committal proceedings. These generate the highest volume of daily listings.
• Specialist courts & tribunals — Children's Court, Coroners Court, Drug Court, Land and Environment Court (LEC) and NCAT.

Coverage by State

• New South Wales (NSW) — Downing Centre Local Court, Parramatta, Newcastle, Wollongong and dozens of regional Local Court listings updated daily.
• Victoria (VIC) — Melbourne Magistrates' Court, Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo, Ringwood, Moorabbin and regional Victorian courts.
• Queensland (QLD) — Brisbane Magistrates Court, Southport, Toowoomba, Rockhampton, Cairns, Townsville, Mackay, Ipswich and more.
• South Australia (SA) — Adelaide Magistrates Court, Mount Gambier, Port Augusta, Port Pirie, Berri and Murray Bridge.
• Western Australia (WA) — Perth Magistrates Court, Fremantle, Geraldton, Bunbury and regional WA registries.
• Tasmania (TAS) — Hobart, Launceston, Burnie and Devonport — all four major Tasmanian registries.
• Federal Court — All eight state and territory Federal Court registries, plus FCFCOA general federal law lists.