Federal Court List Today

Federal Court of Australia — Daily Court List and Hearing Schedule

The Federal Court of Australia is one of the nation\'s superior courts of record, exercising original and appellate jurisdiction over virtually all civil matters arising under Commonwealth legislation. Established by the Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 and commencing operations on 1 February 1977, the Court today operates through eight registries — one in every state and territory capital — presided over by 61 judges as of 30 June 2025, including Chief Justice the Honourable Debra Mortimer, the fifth and first female Chief Justice of the Court, appointed on 7 April 2023.

CourtListAU aggregates the Federal Court daily list from every registry into a single, searchable page so barristers, solicitors, migration agents, in-house counsel, journalists and members of the public can check today\'s Federal Court listings without navigating multiple government portals. Our data is refreshed multiple times daily, and party names are privacy-masked in line with responsible open-justice principles.

What Is the Federal Court Daily List?

The Federal Court daily court list — sometimes called the daily cause list or daily hearing list — is the official schedule of proceedings to be heard on a given day. It is published by the Federal Court of Australia at approximately 4:30 pm each business day for the following business day. Each entry on the list typically includes:

• The file number (e.g., NSD 123/2026) identifying the proceeding.
• The names of the parties involved — applicant(s) and respondent(s).
• The presiding judicial officer — whether a Justice or Registrar of the Court.
• The courtroom or virtual hearing link where the matter will be heard.
• The type of hearing — for example, case management hearing, interlocutory hearing, trial, judgment delivery, return of subpoena, or mediation.
• The registry (state or territory) under which the matter is listed.

Because details can change after the list is published — such as adjournments, last-minute settlements, or courtroom reassignments — CourtListAU recommends that you always verify hearing information directly with the relevant registry before attending.

Federal Court Registries Across Australia

The Federal Court maintains a principal registry in each Australian capital city. Additionally, the Court conducts circuit sittings in regional centres as required. The eight permanent registries are:

1. Australian Capital Territory (Canberra): Nigel Bowen Commonwealth Law Courts, 24 Childers Street, Canberra City ACT 2601.
2. New South Wales (Sydney): Law Courts Building, Queens Square, 184 Phillip Street, Sydney NSW 2000. The Sydney registry is consistently the busiest by volume, reflecting the concentration of commercial litigation and migration appeals in NSW.
3. Northern Territory (Darwin) : Supreme Court Building, State Square, Darwin NT 0800.
4. Queensland (Brisbane) : Harry Gibbs Commonwealth Law Courts, 119 North Quay, Brisbane QLD 4000.
5. South Australia (Adelaide) : Roma Mitchell Commonwealth Law Courts, 3 Angas Street, Adelaide SA 5000.
6. Tasmania (Hobart) : Edward Braddon Commonwealth Law Courts, 39-41 Davey Street, Hobart TAS 7000.
7. Victoria (Melbourne) :Owen Dixon Commonwealth Law Courts, 305 William Street, Melbourne VIC 3000. Melbourne is the second-largest registry by caseload.
8. Western Australia (Perth) : Peter Durack Commonwealth Law Courts, 1 Victoria Avenue, Perth WA 6000.

Each registry publishes its own section of the Federal Court list, and CourtListAU brings them together on this page so you can browse all eight in one place.

Types of Matters Heard in the Federal Court

The Federal Court\'s workload is organised into National Practice Areas (NPAs), each covering a distinct domain of Commonwealth law. Understanding these categories helps legal professionals and the public identify which matters appear on the Federal Court hearing list:

Administrative and Constitutional Law

Judicial review of decisions made by Commonwealth ministers, departments and agencies — including migration decisions under the Migration Act 1958. Migration continues to be one of the highest-volume categories, and additional government funding was allocated in 2024-2025 to address systemic backlogs in migration judicial review.

Admiralty and Maritime

In rem and in personam claims relating to shipping, marine insurance, cargo disputes and salvage under the Admiralty Act 1988 and the Navigation Act 2012.

Commercial and Corporations

Complex corporate disputes, shareholder class actions, insolvency proceedings, directors\' duties, market conduct matters and regulatory enforcement by ASIC. This NPA often includes high-value representative proceedings (class actions) of national economic significance.

Competition and Consumer Law

Enforcement and private actions under the Competition and Consumer Act 2010, including cartel investigations, misuse of market power, misleading and deceptive conduct, unconscionable conduct and product liability — many brought or supported by the ACCC.

Employment and Industrial Relations

Matters under the Fair Work Act 2009, workplace health and safety prosecutions, and industrial disputes of federal significance.

Intellectual Property

Patent, trade mark, copyright and design disputes under Commonwealth IP statutes, including validity challenges, infringement claims and licensing disputes before the Court\'s specialist IP judges.

Native Title

Determination, mediation and management of native title claims under the Native Title Act 1993. The Federal Government allocated $20.2 million over four years from 2024-2025 under the \"Enhancing First Nations Justice Policy Outcomes\" measure to support the Court and the National Native Title Tribunal, including the digitisation of historically significant native title paper files predating 2014.

Taxation

Appeals and judicial review of decisions made by the Commissioner of Taxation, transfer pricing disputes, and GST matters.

Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination

Claims under Commonwealth anti-discrimination legislation — including the Racial Discrimination Act 1975, Sex Discrimination Act 1984, Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the Age Discrimination Act 2004.

Federal Crime

Select summary and indictable corporate criminal proceedings, including corporate fraud and serious regulatory offences.

Federal Court Caseload — Key Facts and Figures (2024-2025)

The following statistics are drawn from the Federal Court of Australia Annual Report 2024-2025 and the Productivity Commission\'s Report on Government Services:

• 5,515 lodgements were received by the Federal Court in the 2024-2025 financial year.
• 4,722 matters were finalised during the same period.
• The Court achieved an 86% disposal rate within 18 months of commencement, exceeding its performance target of 85%.
• As of 30 June 2025, the bench comprised 61 judges, including the Chief Justice, sitting across all eight registries.
• The Federal Government provided additional funding of $20.2 million over four years to support the native title and migration caseloads.
• The Sydney (NSW) registry handles the largest share of filings, followed by Melbourne (VIC) and Brisbane (QLD).

These figures underscore the volume and diversity of proceedings that appear on the daily court lists published by each registry — and why a centralised platform like CourtListAU saves significant time for practitioners and members of the public.

Appellate Jurisdiction — Full Court and Appeals

In addition to its original jurisdiction, the Federal Court exercises important appellate functions:

• Appeals from the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 2) in general federal law matters — including migration, fair work, bankruptcy and consumer law — are heard by a single Federal Court judge under section 25(1AA) of the Federal Court of Australia Act 1976.
• A single judge may refer an appeal to the Full Court (typically three or more judges) where the matter raises questions of public importance or legal complexity.
• The Full Court also hears appeals from single-judge decisions of the Federal Court itself.
• Family law appeals are not heard by the Federal Court — they are directed to Division 1 of the Federal Circuit and Family Court.

Appeals listed for hearing will appear on the Federal Court daily list alongside original jurisdiction matters, so practitioners should filter by hearing type to identify appellate sittings.

How to Use the Federal Court List on CourtListAU

Our Federal Court listings page is designed for speed and clarity. Here is how to find the hearing you need:

1. Select a registry — Use the state/territory tabs at the top of this page (ACT, NSW, NT, QLD, SA, TAS, VIC, WA) to jump directly to listings for that registry.
2. Browse by judicial officer — Within each registry, matters are grouped under the presiding Justice or Registrar, along with their allocated courtroom or virtual hearing room.
3. Identify the hearing type — Each matter shows whether it is a hearing, case management hearing, first case management hearing, interlocutory hearing, return of subpoena, judgment delivery, mediation, examination for production of documents or another event type.
4. Check the update timestamp — The \"Last updated\" notice at the bottom of the listings indicates when the data was last refreshed.
5. Verify before attending — Court schedules change. Always confirm details with the Federal Court registry or the official fedcourt.gov.au daily list before attending a hearing.

Electronic Filing and Online Court Services

The Federal Court of Australia provides several digital services to support remote access and electronic case management:

• eLodgment — The primary electronic filing system for court documents. Accepted file formats include .docx, .pdf, .rtf, .xls, .xlsx, and .jpg, with a maximum file size of 30 MB. New user accounts typically take up to one business day for approval.
• eCourtroom — An online platform used for directions hearings, bankruptcy applications and examination summonses. Note that documents cannot be filed directly through eCourtroom — they must be submitted via eLodgment.
• Commonwealth Courts Portal (CCP) — Provides online access to case information, eFiling, and document management.
• Live Streaming — Select hearings are live-streamed, with links provided directly within the relevant daily court list entry on the official Federal Court website.
• Email Subscriptions — Legal professionals and members of the public can subscribe to receive daily court list notifications for specific registries via the Federal Court\'s subscription service.

Federal Court vs Federal Circuit and Family Court — Key Differences

It is important to distinguish between the Federal Court of Australia and the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (FCFCOA), as both appear in search results for \"federal court list\":

• The Federal Court handles complex, high-value and appellate matters across all areas of Commonwealth law.
• The FCFCOA (Division 1) handles family law appeals and complex family law matters.
• The FCFCOA (Division 2) handles general federal law at a lower-court level (migration, bankruptcy, fair work, consumer law) plus first-instance family law matters.
• In 2024-2025, the FCFCOA experienced a 25.5% increase in general federal law filings and a 64% increase in migration filings, reflecting growing demand across the federal court system.

CourtListAU currently aggregates the Federal Court of Australia daily list. For FCFCOA listings, refer to fcfcoa.gov.au.

Why Use CourtListAU for Federal Court Listings?

Government court-list portals serve their purpose, but they are often fragmented, registry-specific and difficult to navigate quickly. CourtListAU offers distinct advantages:

• All registries, one page — No need to check eight separate registry pages on fedcourt.gov.au.
• Privacy-masked party names — Responsible open-justice reporting with partial masking to deter misuse.
• Fast, mobile-friendly access — Optimised for quick checks from court corridors, chambers and on the go.
• Daily refresh — Data updated multiple times per day for accuracy.
• Free and instant — No registration, no login, no paywall.
• Contextual summaries — Registry-level summaries showing total matters, judicial officers sitting and hearing types at a glance.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the Federal Court daily list?

The Federal Court daily list is the official schedule of all matters to be heard by the Federal Court of Australia on a given business day. It is published at approximately 4:30 pm the previous business day and includes details of parties, judicial officers, courtrooms and hearing types across all eight registries.

How do I find today\'s Federal Court list?

You can view today\'s complete Federal Court list on this page at CourtListAU.com, which aggregates listings from all eight registries (ACT, NSW, NT, QLD, SA, TAS, VIC, WA) into a single searchable view. Alternatively, you can visit fedcourt.gov.au and select your registry from the daily court lists page.

How many judges sit on the Federal Court of Australia?

As of 30 June 2025, the Federal Court has 61 judges, including Chief Justice Debra Mortimer. Judges hold office under the Federal Court of Australia Act 1976, and some also hold commissions or appointments to other federal bodies.

Where are the Federal Court registries located?

The Federal Court has permanent registries in Canberra (ACT), Sydney (NSW), Darwin (NT), Brisbane (QLD), Adelaide (SA), Hobart (TAS), Melbourne (VIC) and Perth (WA). The Court also conducts circuit sittings in regional areas as needed.

What types of cases does the Federal Court hear?

The Federal Court hears matters arising under Commonwealth legislation, including commercial and corporations law, migration, intellectual property, competition and consumer law, employment and industrial relations, native title, admiralty, taxation, human rights and administrative law (judicial review of government decisions).

Can I watch Federal Court hearings online?

Yes. Selected Federal Court hearings are live-streamed, with links provided directly within the relevant daily court list entry on fedcourt.gov.au. Not all hearings are streamed — availability depends on the nature of the proceeding and the presiding judge\'s directions.

How many cases did the Federal Court handle in 2024-2025?

In the 2024-2025 financial year, the Federal Court received 5,515 lodgements and finalised 4,722 matters, achieving an 86% disposal rate within 18 months — exceeding its 85% performance target.

What is the difference between the Federal Court and the Federal Circuit Court?

The Federal Court of Australia is a superior court handling complex, high-value and appellate Commonwealth matters. The Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (FCFCOA, formerly the Federal Circuit Court) handles lower-level general federal law matters (migration, bankruptcy, fair work) and family law. Appeals from FCFCOA Division 2 in general federal law go to the Federal Court.

How do I file documents in the Federal Court?

Documents are filed electronically through the Federal Court\'s eLodgment system. Accepted formats include PDF, DOCX, RTF, XLS, XLSX and JPG, with a 30 MB per-file limit. Registration is required and typically takes up to one business day for approval.

Is CourtListAU an official government website?

No. CourtListAU is an independent platform that aggregates publicly available court listing data for informational purposes. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the Federal Court of Australia or any other Australian court, tribunal or government body. Always verify hearing details directly with the relevant court registry before attending.