The ACT Magistrates Court is the busiest court in the Territory. It sits in the ACT Law Courts building at 4-6 Knowles Place, Canberra City, next to the ACT Supreme Court, and deals with most criminal charges laid in Canberra along with mid-sized civil claims. This page shows the matters listed for the day with case numbers and start times, so you can confirm when you need to be at court.
What the Magistrates Court deals with
Most of the court's work is criminal. Magistrates hear every summary offence: ACT offences with a maximum penalty of two years imprisonment or less, and Commonwealth offences with a maximum of one year. Some more serious indictable offences are also dealt with in the Magistrates Court when the prosecution elects to proceed summarily or the defendant consents. Charges that are too serious stay in the court until they are committed to the Supreme Court.
On the civil side the court hears claims and disputes up to $250,000 under section 257 of the Magistrates Court Act 1930. Disputes under $25,000 belong to the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal rather than the court. The Magistrates Court also includes:
- the Family Violence Court, a specialist criminal list for domestic violence offences that was given statutory recognition in 2011
- applications for family violence, personal protection and workplace protection orders
- the Coroners Court and the Industrial Court
Protection order applications and family violence lists are not shown on this page. Names in those matters are suppressed on the court's own search, and they are left out here.
How the ACT Magistrates Court list is set out
The court publishes hearing dates and times through the ACT Courts hearing search, which covers the coming year. Each row has three parts:
- Case number, made of a prefix, a sequence number and the year, for example AM/0130/25. AM numbers are criminal matters and CS numbers are civil claims. Other prefixes are used for other kinds of matter.
- Name of the defendant or the parties. In criminal matters this is the defendant's full name. On this page given names are shortened to initials.
- Hearing date and time, such as 21 Oct 2026 9:30 AM.
The list does not show the courtroom. Courtrooms are allocated on the day and shown on the large monitor in the foyer of the Law Courts building, which lists every matter in both the Magistrates and Supreme Courts with its courtroom. Morning lists commonly start at 9:15am or 9:30am, and a large group of criminal matters can share one start time.
Rows marked Suppressed on the court's search are withheld because of a court order or a law that limits publication. They are not reproduced here.
On the day: finding your courtroom
The eleven Magistrates Court courtrooms are to the left of the entry foyer and the Supreme Court courtrooms are to the right, with the shared enquiry counter opposite the entrance. Check the foyer monitor, go to the courtroom shown and let the court officer know you are there. If your name is not on the monitor, ask at the enquiry counter on the ground level. If you are attending a family or personal violence conference, collect a ticket after security screening and report to the enquiry counter.
The Childrens Court is in the same building but has its own entrance to the left of the main doors. Saturday court is heard in the Childrens Court.
Getting to Knowles Place
Construction around the courts has changed the way in. London Circuit west, between Northbourne Avenue and Edinburgh Avenue, is closed to regular traffic for light rail works, and the car park in front of the Magistrates Court has closed. The courts recommend the One City Hill underground car park at the southern end of Knowles Place, near Edinburgh Avenue. The nearest accessible parking is in Hobart Place and in the One City Hill car park. Wayfinding signs are in place around the site, and the BindiMaps app can guide you inside the building.
All visitors go through security screening. Bottles, cans, cutlery and other glass or metal items are not allowed through. A coffee shop on the ground floor is open to visitors before screening.
Registry hours and contact details
The building opens at 8:30am on weekdays. The enquiry counter and registry are open from 9:00am to 4:30pm, Monday to Friday, and telephone enquiries are answered on (02) 6205 0000 from 8:30am to 4:30pm. Postal address: ACT Magistrates Court, GPO Box 370, Canberra City ACT 2601.
History of the court
The ACT Court of Petty Sessions opened on 25 November 1930. Before then, people in the Territory had to travel to Queanbeyan, Goulburn or Cooma to have their cases heard. The court was renamed the Magistrates Court on 1 February 1986. Since the 2019 stage of the Law Courts redevelopment it has shared one building with the Supreme Court, whose list is on the ACT Supreme Court daily list page.
Frequently asked questions
Which courtroom is my matter in?
The published list gives the date and time but not the courtroom. Check the monitor in the foyer on the day or ask at the enquiry counter.
Can I see the ACT Magistrates Court list for tomorrow?
Yes, when the court has listed matters for the next sitting day they appear in the Tomorrow tab. Matters can still be added or moved, so check again on the morning.
Why does my matter show a different time to my bail papers?
Listings change after paperwork is issued. Treat the most recent list as the guide and confirm with your lawyer or the registry on (02) 6205 0000.
Are family violence order hearings listed here?
No. Family violence, personal protection and workplace protection order matters are not shown on this page.