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A list of the most frequently asked questions with answers from across the Court.

The following list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) has been develop to help provide answers to general questions that get asked by users of the Court. In addition, some sections of the website will have specific FAQs relating to that area of the website or of the Court.

Should you not be able to find the answer you are looking for, please visit our general Contact us page to find either a general contact number or email, or more specific contact information if you know the area of the Court that could best help you with your enquiry.

The Supreme Court conducts hearings and trials at several locations in the Melbourne CBD and in regional locations. Check your Court documents to see where you need to be. The Contact us and locations pages on our website have address details.

The Supreme Court building at 210 William Street, Melbourne, is open Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 6pm, except public holidays. All other Supreme Court buildings in Melbourne CBD are open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm except for public holidays.

The Principal Registry, Court of Appeal Registry, Probate Office and the Commercial Court Registry at 450 Little Bourke Street are open from 9.30am to 4pm. See the Contact us section of the website for the contact details of other registries and Court services. The Court and registries are closed on weekends and public holidays.

Yes, we have 12 locations in regional areas. See the locations page of our website for details.

Most hearings are open to the public. If you are attending as a visitor you can sit in the public area, usually located at the back of the courtroom. Mobile phones must be turned off. A notice on the door will tell you if the session is closed to the public. If you enter or leave the courtroom while a judge is in attendance, you must bow to the judge as you enter and bow to the judge when you leave. You can find further information in the For the public and Courtroom conduct sections of the website.

No, there is no minimum time. If you are in a courtroom when a judgment is being handed down (formally delivered by the judge) then we ask that you remain in the courtroom until the end. It usually takes about 15 minutes. If you are in the courtroom when a witness is being sworn in, remain in the courtroom until the swearing in has been completed.

Security officers will screen you and your bags before you enter any Court building. Leave at home any sharp or potentially dangerous objects, such as nail files, scissors, glass bottles and cans. Bike helmets and alcohol are also not allowed. These items will generally be confiscated until you leave the Court. Make sure you allow enough time to go through security before your hearing. Sometimes there is a queue, especially at peak times from 9am-10.30am and 1.30pm-2.30pm. You can find further information in the Security and support services section of the website.

Most of our Court locations are wheelchair accessible. If you are visiting one of our Melbourne CBD courts, we recommend calling security on 03 8600 2310 or 0437 864 908 at least two days in advance so we can help you plan your visit. If you are attending a regional court, phone ahead to check access. The Contact us page on our website has contact details.

The Court hears cases from Monday to Friday except public holidays, usually from 9.30am to 4pm with a break for lunch. The Court calendar on our website shows the sitting dates for the court year. You can find the Court calendar under the Going to Court tab on our home page. The Court hears some urgent cases outside these hours.

The Daily Hearing List on our website shows the day’s hearings, including time and location. The list is updated at about 4.30pm each day, to show cases being heard the following business day. You can find the Daily Hearing List under the Going to Court tab on our home page.

Yes, the Law Library Victoria is open to the public (located at the Supreme Court, 210 William Street, Melbourne). It is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm, except public holidays. Members of the public can view most print items but cannot borrow them. The library has photocopying, printing and scanning facilities and free Wi-Fi. See the Law Library’s website for more details.

As a condition of entry, you are generally not allowed to take photos in the Court buildings or grounds unless you have formal permission from the Court. You can take personal photos in the courtyard before or after Admission ceremonies and within the Law Library of Victoria at any time. We ask you to be respectful of others attending Court. The Court’s administration team manages requests about commercial photography. Contact details can be found on the Contact us (Court administration) area of the website.

To assist the profession, the Court has prepared an eCourt Book Guide, which provides instructions for preparing electronic material in compliance with the recommended pre-trial directions.