NSW Grafton Local Court List Today

Grafton Local Court is the principal summary jurisdiction court for the Clarence Valley region of northern New South Wales. It sits within the heritage Grafton courthouse at 47 Victoria Street, a Classical Revival building designed by Colonial Architect James Barnet and constructed between 1877 and 1880 on a site that has hosted court sittings since the original courthouse was built in the early 1860s. The same building houses both the Grafton Local Court and the Grafton District Court, making the Victoria Street precinct the busiest judicial centre between Coffs Harbour and Lismore.

As a Local Court, Grafton is the entry point for the overwhelming majority of criminal, traffic and civil matters that arise across the Clarence Valley. Almost every prosecution laid by NSW Police in the district begins here, whether it is finalised in the Local Court or committed to a higher court. Understanding how the court works, what appears on the daily list, and how listings progress can help defendants, witnesses, victims and legal practitioners plan their attendance with confidence.

Where Grafton Local Court sits in the NSW court system

The Local Court is the first tier of the three-tier NSW court hierarchy, below the District Court and the Supreme Court. It is presided over by a magistrate rather than a judge and jury, and it resolves matters far more quickly and at lower cost than the higher courts. Across New South Wales there are more than 160 Local Court locations, and together they carry the largest caseload in the state justice system.

What Grafton Local Court handles

• Summary criminal offences such as common assault, larceny, drug possession, offensive conduct and property damage.
• Traffic offences including drink and drug driving, speeding, driving while suspended and negligent driving.
• Apprehended violence orders, covering both apprehended domestic violence orders (ADVOs) and apprehended personal violence orders (APVOs).
• Committal proceedings for serious indictable matters that are later referred to the District Court.
• Civil claims up to a monetary limit of 100,000 dollars, including debt recovery and small claims.
• Bail applications and related interlocutory hearings.

Grafton Local Court by the numbers

Statistics published by the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) show just how central the Local Court is to the justice system. In 2024/25, the NSW criminal courts finalised 151,113 defendant appearances, an increase of 7.4 per cent on the previous year. The Local Court alone accounted for 141,616 of those finalisations, roughly 94 per cent of all finalised criminal appearances in the state. This is the scale of work that regional courts such as Grafton contribute to every sitting week.

Several BOCSAR trends are directly relevant to anyone appearing at Grafton. Domestic violence related matters rose 12.1 per cent statewide and now make up 27.1 per cent of all Local Court finalisations, more than one in every four cases. The proportion of proven defendants receiving a custodial penalty climbed from 9.1 to 10.0 per cent, while the number of such penalties rose 16.8 per cent to 13,035. Roughly 9.3 per cent of defendants were bail refused at the time their matter was finalised.

Timeframes matter too. In 2024/25 the median time from arrest to finalisation for a defended Local Court hearing was 263 days. That was 16 days faster than the previous year but still 65 days longer than in 2018/19, reflecting sustained pressure on regional court lists. The practical takeaway for Grafton attendees is that defended matters can take the better part of a year to reach a final hearing, so early legal advice and preparation are valuable.

More serious charges rarely finish here. Where a matter is committed for trial or sentence, or an indictable offence proceeds beyond the summary jurisdiction, it moves upstairs to the Grafton District Court, which shares the same Victoria Street courthouse. If you have been told your case is going to a higher court, check the district listing rather than this one, as the party name and dates carry across but the courtroom and start time will differ.

Crime and court demand in the Clarence Valley

The Grafton Local Court serves the Clarence Valley local government area, which the Australian Bureau of Statistics recorded as home to 54,115 people at the 2021 Census. Court demand in the region is shaped strongly by domestic and family violence. Regional health and crime assessments place domestic and family violence rates across the Coffs and Clarence policing district at close to 1.8 times the NSW state average, and the Clarence Valley has recorded one of the sharpest regional increases in reported family violence in recent years.

This local pattern mirrors the statewide picture, where BOCSAR reports that domestic violence assault charges reached a record high and now account for more than one in four adult court proceedings across NSW. For the Grafton list, it means ADVO mentions, domestic violence assault matters and related bail conditions feature prominently on most sitting days, alongside the traffic and general criminal caseload.

Location, contact and registry information

• Address: 47 Victoria Street, Grafton NSW 2460
• Postal: PO Box 16, Grafton NSW 2460
• Phone: 1300 679 272
• Registry hours: 9:00 am to 1:00 pm and 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm, Monday to Friday
• Telephone hours: 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, Monday to Friday
• Facilities: Audio Visual Link (AVL) available for remote appearances

Getting to the courthouse

The courthouse is located centrally on Victoria Street in the Grafton heritage precinct, close to the Grafton Police Station. Grafton City railway station is about a ten minute drive away, and regional bus services run along Victoria Street and Prince Street. Both street and public parking are available nearby, although sitting days can be busy, so arriving well before your listed time is sensible.

Accessibility

The courthouse provides wheelchair access, a hearing loop and accessible amenities. If you require an interpreter or other assistance, contact the registry ahead of your hearing date so arrangements can be confirmed in advance rather than on the day.

The Clarence Valley registry also supports circuit and neighbouring courts, so it is worth knowing where else a matter might be listed. Smaller Clarence towns are served from the Maclean Local Court downriver, while larger regional lists run at Coffs Harbour Local Court to the south and the Lismore court list to the north. If your paperwork names one of those courthouses, confirm the venue before you travel.

How to read the Grafton Local Court list

The daily law list above sets out every matter scheduled at the Grafton courthouse for the sitting day, organised by courtroom and listing time. Most Local Court matters are listed for a 9:30 am start. Each entry shows the party name, the assigned courtroom (for example Court 1 Grafton or Court 2 Grafton) and the listing time. Names on public court lists are partially masked on this page for privacy.

Listings are grouped by matter type behind the scenes. Common categories include first mentions, adjourned mentions, sentence hearings following a guilty plea, defended hearings, bail applications and AVO mentions. Because the list is generated from live registry data, courtroom allocations and times can change at short notice, so always confirm your matter with court staff on arrival.

What to expect on your court date

• Arrive early, locate your name on the door list or the list above, and note your courtroom.
• Dress neatly, switch off your phone, and do not bring food, drink or recording devices into the courtroom.
• Wait to be called, as matters are not always heard in listed order and can run late.
• Stand when the magistrate enters and when addressing the bench, and speak only when invited.
• If you are unsure where to go, ask a court officer or registry staff for direction.

You are entitled to represent yourself, but given that a defended hearing can take several months to finalise and outcomes carry lasting consequences, obtaining legal advice is strongly recommended. Duty solicitors and Legal Aid NSW can assist eligible people at court, and many local criminal law practitioners appear regularly at Grafton.

Frequently asked questions

What time does Grafton Local Court start?

Most matters are listed from 9:30 am. Your specific listing time appears next to your name on the daily list. Arriving by 9:00 am gives you time to find your courtroom and speak with a duty solicitor if needed.

Can I appear at Grafton Local Court by Audio Visual Link?

Grafton has AVL facilities, which allow certain appearances to be conducted remotely. Whether AVL is available for your matter depends on the case type and magistrate directions, so confirm with the registry beforehand.

How do I confirm my hearing has not changed?

Listings can move between rooms or times at short notice. Check the daily list above on the morning of your hearing and, if in doubt, phone the registry on 1300 679 272 during telephone hours.

Does Grafton Local Court hear domestic violence matters?

Yes. Apprehended domestic violence order mentions and domestic violence related charges are a significant share of the Grafton caseload, consistent with elevated regional rates across the Clarence Valley.