NSW Griffith Local Court List Today

Griffith Local Court is the primary court of first instance for the City of Griffith and the surrounding Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area in the Riverina region of New South Wales. It sits inside the Griffith Court House at 363 Banna Avenue, on the corner of Banna and Kooyoo Streets, and serves a resident population of 20,569 people recorded at the 2021 Census, plus the broader catchment of Leeton, Hillston, Hay, Hanwood and the wider food bowl district. As a NSW Local Court venue, it is presided over by a Magistrate and handles the vast majority of legal matters that arise in the region, from traffic and criminal charges to civil disputes and apprehended violence orders.

The Local Court is the busiest tier of the New South Wales court system. According to the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR), the Local Court accounted for around 94 per cent of all criminal finalisations across the state in the year to June 2025, which underlines why regional venues such as Griffith carry a heavy and steady caseload for their communities.

Address, Hours and Contact Details

If you have a matter listed at Griffith Local Court, confirm the practical details before you travel. The registry and courtroom operate on standard NSW Local Court arrangements.

• Street address: 363 Banna Avenue, Griffith NSW 2680
• Postal address: PO Box 379, Griffith NSW 2680
• Phone: 1300 679 272 (Courts Service Centre)
• Registry hours: 9:00am to 1:00pm and 2:00pm to 4:00pm, Monday to Friday
• Telephone hours: 8:30am to 4:30pm, weekdays, excluding public holidays
• Facilities: disabled access and Audio Visual Link (AVL) available on circuit

Most lists at Griffith begin at 9:30am. Arrive early, allow time for security screening, and check the daily court list on this page so you know your listing time, matter type and courtroom before you walk in.

What Griffith Local Court Deals With

The Local Court has a broad summary jurisdiction and acts as the gateway for more serious matters that are later committed to a higher court. Its work at Griffith falls into several clear categories.

Criminal and Traffic Matters

The Magistrate hears summary criminal offences and less serious indictable offences dealt with summarily. Common examples include drink driving and drug driving, driving while suspended or disqualified, negligent driving, common assault, larceny and shoplifting, minor drug possession, malicious damage, and breaches of court orders. Traffic and vehicle offences remain the single largest category of proven matters in the NSW Local Court, with BOCSAR recording 45,371 defendants found guilty on this principal offence type in the year to June 2025.

Bail and Committals

Griffith Local Court decides bail applications and conducts committal proceedings that determine whether a strictly indictable matter, such as a serious assault or a large commercial drug charge, should be sent up to the District Court for trial or sentence. Bail decisions have tightened across the state in recent years, with BOCSAR reporting that 9.3 per cent of defendants were bail refused at finalisation in the year to June 2025, up from earlier years.

Apprehended Violence Orders and Domestic Violence

The court makes and varies Apprehended Domestic Violence Orders (ADVOs) and Apprehended Personal Violence Orders (APVOs). Domestic and family violence is now a defining part of Local Court work. BOCSAR figures show domestic violence related finalisations rose 12.1 per cent in the year to June 2025 and accounted for 27.1 per cent of all Local Court finalisations, meaning more than one in four matters statewide had a domestic violence element.

Civil Disputes

The Local Court hears civil claims of up to $100,000. These are split into two divisions: the Small Claims Division, which deals with claims up to $20,000, and the General Division, which handles claims above $20,000 and up to $100,000. Typical civil matters include unpaid debts, consumer disputes, property damage claims and licence appeals against Transport for NSW.

Court Lists and Sitting Arrangements

Griffith operates on a circuit that also covers nearby regional courts. Griffith and Deniliquin Local Courts both have Audio Visual Link facilities on this circuit, which allows defendants, witnesses and legal representatives to appear remotely where the court permits. This is particularly useful across the Riverina, where distances between towns are significant and travel to a physical courtroom can be difficult.

The daily law list on this page is refreshed regularly and lets you search listings by name, case number or date, generally covering upcoming hearing dates several weeks ahead as well as recent past listings. Names on published lists are partially masked for privacy, and details can change at short notice, so the registry remains the final source of truth for any listing.

If your matter is defended or heads to sentence in a higher court, it moves next door to the Griffith District Court, which sits in the same building and hears committals sent up from the Magistrate. Appeals against a Local Court conviction or penalty are also heard there. For serious Riverina trials that are not listed locally, the Wagga Wagga District Court often carries the regional criminal load, so check where your matter is actually listed before travelling.

Griffith Local Court by the Numbers

Local statistics for a single regional court are not published in isolation, but statewide BOCSAR data provides useful context for the volume and pace of work that flows through venues like Griffith.

• NSW criminal courts finalised 151,113 court appearances in the year to June 2025, an increase of 7.4 per cent on the previous year.
• Local Court finalisations rose 7.7 per cent to 141,616 matters, the highest tier by volume in the state system.
• The median time from arrest to finalisation for a defended hearing in the Local Court was 263 days, which was 16 days shorter than the year before.
• The proportion of proven defendants receiving a custodial penalty rose from 9.1 per cent to 10.0 per cent, with the number of custodial penalties up 16.8 per cent to 13,035.
• Traffic and vehicle offences were the most common proven principal offence across the Local Court, ahead of offences against justice procedures, drug offences and theft.

These figures show a court system that is both busy and, in the case of hearing delays, gradually improving. For anyone with a matter at Griffith, the practical takeaway is that defended hearings can take many months from charge to resolution, so early legal advice and preparation matter.

The Griffith Court House Building

The Griffith Court House was officially opened on 17 August 1928 by the Honourable J.R. Lee, Minister of Justice, and stands as one of the earliest public buildings in the city. It is a fine neo-classical building in the interwar Georgian revival style, with classical porticos developed on three elevations to maximise symmetry. The western arcaded portico is headed by an entablature and pediment bearing the British coat of arms, above which sit a cupola and urns, with vents in the base of the cupola forming the pattern of the Union Jack.

The courthouse sits beside the Memorial Gardens in the heart of Griffith, a city that, like Canberra, was laid out by the architects Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahony Griffin. Its heritage character and central location make it one of the recognisable civic landmarks of the Riverina.

Getting to Court and What to Expect

Preparation reduces stress on the day. Keep the following points in mind before attending Griffith Local Court.

• Location: the court is central, close to Memorial Park and Griffith railway station, with Griffith Airport offering daily flights to Sydney and Melbourne.
• Dress and conduct: dress neatly, turn off your phone, and address the Magistrate as "Your Honour".
• Arrive early: aim to be at the courthouse well before 9:30am to clear security and locate your courtroom.
• Documents: bring any paperwork relating to your matter, including your court attendance notice, bail papers or civil claim documents.
• Support: you may bring a support person, and legal representation is strongly recommended for defended and serious matters.

Courts Connected to Griffith

The Griffith Court House is a shared venue. The Griffith District Court is co-located in the same building and hears appeals from the Local Court, serious indictable trials and sentences, and larger civil claims. NCAT (the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal) also lists Consumer and Commercial Division matters for the region. Matters that begin in the Local Court can move upward to the District Court, so understanding how these courts connect helps you follow your matter through the system.

Griffith is not the only Local Court in the food bowl. Nearby registries on the same broad circuit include the Leeton Local Court and the Deniliquin Local Court, and a charge laid in one town is sometimes listed in another. If you need a tenancy, consumer or building dispute rather than a criminal listing, the Consumer and Commercial Division sits separately, so search the Griffith NCAT list instead of the court roll.

Frequently Asked Questions

What time does Griffith Local Court start?

Most lists commence at 9:30am on sitting days. Your individual listing time appears on the daily court list, but you should arrive earlier to allow for security screening and to find your courtroom.

How do I find my name on the Griffith court list?

Use the daily law list on this page and search by name, case number or date. Names are partially masked for privacy, and listings can change, so confirm with the registry if you are unsure.

What is the maximum claim Griffith Local Court can hear in a civil case?

The Local Court hears civil claims up to $100,000. Claims up to $20,000 are dealt with in the Small Claims Division, and claims above that amount are heard in the General Division.

Can I appear at Griffith Local Court by video link?

Griffith has Audio Visual Link facilities on its circuit. Whether you can appear remotely depends on the type of matter and the court's approval, so seek directions from the registry or your lawyer in advance.

Where do I go if my matter is too serious for the Local Court?

Serious indictable matters are committed to the Griffith District Court, which is co-located in the same courthouse. The District Court also hears appeals against Local Court decisions.

Is Griffith Local Court open to the public?

Yes. Local Court proceedings are generally open to the public, although some matters, such as those involving children or certain sensitive applications, may be closed or restricted at the Magistrate's discretion.