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Court of Appeal FAQs

Q: Where are the Court of Appeal Court rooms?
A: The Court of Appeal hears its cases in three courtrooms situated at 459 Lonsdale Street.

The Green Court is located on the ground floor.
The Red Court is located on Level 1
The Blue Court is located on Level 2

If you are unsure about which courtroom your case is in or where to go for your hearing upon arriving at the Court, there are notices placed on the notice board on the ground floor otherwise a list appears in the Age newspaper every morning in the Law List section.

Q: Who will be present in the courtroom?
A: The Court of Appeal is generally made up of three Judges from the Court of Appeal. There may be more or less than three Judges, depending on the type of matter being heard.

The Judges sit at the high Bench at the front of the courtroom. The Judges' Associates sit in front of the Judges and provide clerical assistance to the Court. The Judges control the hearing and the courtroom.

There is no jury in the Court of Appeal.

A Protective Services Officer and Tipstaff may also be present in the courtroom.
The public are usually able to sit in the public gallery at the back of the Court, unless otherwise directed by the Court or a Court official.

There are usually security guards in or around the Court of Appeal.

Q: When is the Appeal Hearing?
A: The Court of Appeal generally hears matters between 10.00am and 4.00pm. Litigants are notified of the date of the appeal hearing prior to the hearing. Details of the time of the hearing and courtroom are published in the Law List in the Age newspaper on the day of the hearing, and on the Supreme Court website after 4.00pm the day before the hearing. Litigants must be present in Court for the time nominated for hearing and it is best to be early.

Q: Are the complex and the courtrooms wheel chair accessible?
A: Yes. Please contact a staff member or security officer for access to the Court of Appeal.

Q: Can I talk to the Judges about my matter?
A: Litigants cannot speak to Judges outside the courtroom nor send correspondence to the Judges about their hearing. Any queries or concerns must be addressed to the Registrar.

Q: Can Court staff provide me with legal assistance?
A: Court staff, including staff from the Court of Appeal Registry, cannot give litigants legal advice nor recommend what litigants should do with regard to their case. Court staff can assist you with general procedural matters relating to your appeal. For example, staff will help litigants with the filing of Court documents, enquiries about the dates of appeal hearings and information about general Court procedure and protocol.

Q: What happens if a litigant does not attend the appeal hearing?
A: If a litigant fails to attend his or her appeal hearing on the date given, the matter may be considered in his or her absence and may be struck out. It is essential that litigants attend their hearing at the correct time and date.

Q: Where do I go to make an enquiry on the day of the appeal hearing?
A: Specific enquiries about the Court of Appeal can be made by going to the Court of Appeal Registry located on the Ground Floor of 450 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne.

Q: What are the business hours of the Supreme Court?
A: The Supreme Court is open from 9.00 a.m. until 5.00 p.m., Monday to Friday. The building is not open on public holidays or weekends. The Supreme Court Library's hours are Monday to Thursday from 8.30 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. and Friday 8.30 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. The Court of Appeal Registry's hours are from 9.30 a.m. to 4.00 p.m.

Q: Where else can I obtain information about the Court of Appeal?

A: The Court of Appeal Registry is located on the Ground Floor, 450 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne.
Telephone: (03) 9603 6031 Fax: (03) 9603 6050                  

Email: coaregistry@supremecourt.vic.gov.au