NSW Cobar Local Court List Today

Cobar Local Court, also known as Cobar Court House, is a heritage courthouse at 31 Barton Street, Cobar NSW 2835, sitting directly beside the Cobar Police Station in the Far West of New South Wales. The court serves the town of Cobar and the wider Cobar Shire, a vast outback local government area covering roughly 44,065 square kilometres. Built in 1887, the courthouse has delivered justice to this remote mining district for more than 135 years and remains an operational part of the statewide Local Court of New South Wales. This page brings together the daily Cobar court list, sitting information, registry contact details and verified background so you can plan an appearance with confidence.

Cobar is one of Australia's best known copper and gold mining towns, positioned at the crossroads of the Barrier Highway and the Kidman Way, about 712 kilometres north west of Sydney and roughly halfway between Dubbo and Broken Hill. Because the town is so isolated, the local courthouse plays an outsized role for residents across the shire, handling everything from traffic infringements to serious criminal committals that later move to a higher court.

Where Cobar Local Court Is Located

The courthouse is on Barton Street in the centre of Cobar, next to the police station and within walking distance of the town's main services. Its coordinates place it at approximately 31.499 degrees south and 145.836 degrees east. Cobar's postcode is 2835 and the town falls within the Orana region, the state electorate of Barwon and the federal division of Parkes.

Getting to the Courthouse

• By road: Cobar is reached on the Barrier Highway from the east, with Nyngan about 133 kilometres away, or from the west toward Wilcannia and Broken Hill, and on the Kidman Way from the south. Sydney is around 712 kilometres by road.
• By air: Regional flights connect Cobar Airport with Sydney, which is the fastest option for legal practitioners travelling from the city.
• By coach: Coach services run to Cobar from Dubbo, the nearest major regional centre, roughly 300 kilometres to the east.
• Parking: Limited street parking is available near the courthouse, so allow extra time on busy sitting days.

Cobar Local Court Sitting Days, Registry Hours and Contact Details

Cobar Local Court is a circuit court rather than a daily court. It sits on the Tuesday and Wednesday of the fourth week of each month, so confirming the exact sitting date before you travel is essential. Administrative services for Cobar are managed through the Dubbo Local Court registry, and all postal correspondence should be sent to the Dubbo address below.

• Address: 31 Barton Street, Cobar NSW 2835
• Postal address: C/O Dubbo Court, PO Box 50, Dubbo NSW 2830
• Phone: 1300 679 272
• Email: local-court-cobar@justice.nsw.gov.au
• Registry hours: 9:00 am to 1:00 pm and 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm on sitting days
• Telephone hours: 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, Monday to Friday
• Sitting days: Tuesday and Wednesday of the fourth week of each month
• Facilities: Audio Visual Link (AVL) is available, allowing some appearances to be heard remotely

Cobar forms part of the Dubbo circuit alongside courts such as Gilgandra, Nyngan, Peak Hill and Warren. A visiting magistrate presides on circuit, and the officer who hears matters can change from one sitting to the next. If you need to know who is listed to sit on a particular day, the registry is the most reliable source.

What the Cobar Local Court Daily Law List Covers

The Local Court is the busiest tier of the New South Wales court system, and Cobar's daily law list reflects that breadth. Across the state, the Local Court finalised 141,616 criminal matters in 2024/25, which is about 94 per cent of all criminal court finalisations in NSW that year. The same court also resolves the large majority of civil disputes in the state. At Cobar, the list typically includes the following matters.

Criminal Matters

• Summary offences such as minor assault, drug possession and public order matters
• Traffic offences, including drink driving, drug driving, speeding and driving while disqualified
• Bail applications and first mentions for people recently charged
• Sentence hearings and defended hearings before a magistrate
• Committal proceedings for serious indictable offences that later move to the District Court

A magistrate sitting at Cobar can impose a maximum of two years imprisonment for a single offence, or up to five years for multiple offences. More serious matters that carry longer terms are committed to the District Court, which sits on circuit at larger regional centres.

Civil Matters

• Small Claims Division disputes up to $20,000, dealt with less formally
• General Division claims from $20,000 up to $100,000
• Debt recovery, contract disputes and property claims
• Personal injury claims up to a limit of $60,000

AVOs and Other Applications

• Apprehended Domestic Violence Orders (ADVOs) and Apprehended Personal Violence Orders (APVOs)
• Applications to vary or revoke existing orders
• Licence appeals and other statutory applications

Domestic and family violence work is a significant share of the Local Court's caseload. Statewide, domestic violence related finalisations rose 12.1 per cent in 2024/25 and now account for 27.1 per cent of all Local Court finalisations, a pattern felt strongly across regional and remote communities like Cobar.

When Cobar is not sitting, people across the region turn to other registries for an earlier date. The Nyngan Local Court to the east and the Broken Hill Local Court list to the west sit on their own circuit days, while Bourke Local Court covers matters further north. If you need a court list today rather than waiting for the fourth week, checking a neighbouring registry can save a long trip.

If your matter is committed for trial or sentence, it will usually be heard at the Dubbo District Court, which handles serious indictable matters for this part of the Far West on circuit. Appeals against a magistrate's decision at Cobar also travel to the District Court. Practitioners often check both the Cobar sitting and the corresponding Dubbo listings in the same week, since a committal at one flows straight through to the other.

How to Check the Cobar Court List Online

The daily Cobar court schedule is published through the NSW Online Registry and the Online Court List service. You can search by party name, case number, date, jurisdiction, listing type and presiding officer. The system displays matters up to three weeks ahead and one week in the past, which is useful for confirming a mention date or checking whether a matter has been adjourned. The list on this page mirrors that public information and is refreshed regularly, though details can change at short notice.

Always treat the online list as a guide and verify with the registry before travelling long distances. Courts on circuit are sometimes cut or rearranged based on the number of matters listed, and the sitting arrangement can shift around public holidays.

Cobar Local Court in Context: Key Statistics

Understanding how the Local Court fits into the broader system helps put the Cobar list in perspective.

• The NSW Criminal Courts finalised 151,113 court appearances in 2024/25, up 7.4 per cent on the previous year.
• Local Court finalisations rose 7.7 per cent to 141,616 matters, an increase of more than 10,000 cases in a single year.
• The Local Court hears more than 90 per cent of all civil cases in New South Wales and handles claims up to $100,000.
• The median time to finalise a defended hearing in the Local Court was 263 days in 2024/25.
• More than 100 heritage courthouses remain in operation across NSW, and the Local Court has run as a single statewide jurisdiction since 2007.

The Community Cobar Local Court Serves

Cobar is a small outback town with a close knit population, and the courthouse reflects the character of the district it serves. According to the 2021 Census, the town of Cobar had a population of 3,369, while the wider Cobar Shire recorded about 4,059 residents across an area of 44,065 square kilometres, one of the largest and most sparsely populated local government areas in the state.

• Median age: around 36 to 37 years, younger than the national median of 38.
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander residents: about 15.3 per cent of the population, well above the New South Wales figure of 3.4 per cent.
• Median weekly household income: roughly $1,700 to $1,800, supported by the town's mining economy.
• Main industry: base metals and gold mining, including copper, lead, silver and zinc.

The high share of Aboriginal residents is one reason culturally aware court support and legal services matter in this region. Legal Aid NSW and the Aboriginal Legal Service both assist people appearing at regional courts such as Cobar.

A Heritage Courthouse: Cobar Court House History

The Cobar Court House was completed in 1887, during the mining boom that turned Cobar from a small settlement into a thriving copper town. The town itself was established around 1870, and the Cobar Shire was proclaimed in 1884. The courthouse belongs to a generation of grand colonial public buildings constructed across regional New South Wales in the late nineteenth century, many of which were designed under the Colonial Architect's office and are now heritage listed. More than 135 years later, the building still serves its original purpose, a rare distinction among Australia's historic courthouses.

Tips for Attending Cobar Local Court

• Confirm your sitting date and time with the registry before you travel, as Cobar only sits two days a month.
• Arrive early to allow for security screening and to find your name on the list in the foyer.
• Bring photo identification and all documents relevant to your matter.
• Dress neatly and address the magistrate as "Your Honour".
• Set your phone to silent and stay quiet while the court is in session.
• If you cannot attend in person, ask the registry whether an Audio Visual Link appearance is possible.
• Seek legal advice early. Legal Aid NSW, the Aboriginal Legal Service and private solicitors can all assist with matters at Cobar.

Frequently Asked Questions

What days does Cobar Local Court sit?

Cobar Local Court sits on the Tuesday and Wednesday of the fourth week of each month. Because it is a circuit court, it is not open every day, so always confirm the sitting date before attending.

Where is Cobar Local Court located?

The courthouse is at 31 Barton Street, Cobar NSW 2835, next to the Cobar Police Station. Postal correspondence goes to C/O Dubbo Court, PO Box 50, Dubbo NSW 2830.

How do I check the Cobar court list for today?

You can view the daily Cobar court list on this page or search the NSW Online Registry by name, case number or date. The online system shows matters up to three weeks ahead and one week in the past.

What types of cases are heard at Cobar Local Court?

The court hears summary criminal offences, traffic matters, bail applications, sentence and defended hearings, committals, civil claims up to $100,000 and apprehended violence order applications.

Can I appear at Cobar Local Court by video link?

Yes. Audio Visual Link facilities are available at Cobar, and the registry can advise whether your matter is suitable for a remote appearance.

Who is the magistrate at Cobar Local Court?

A visiting magistrate presides on circuit, and the officer who sits can vary between listings. Contact the registry if you need to confirm who is listed for a particular day.

What is the maximum penalty the Local Court can impose?

A magistrate can impose up to two years imprisonment for a single offence, or up to five years for multiple offences. More serious matters are committed to the District Court.