NSW Lake Cargelligo Local Court List Today

The Lake Cargelligo Local Court is a circuit courthouse in the Central West region of New South Wales, sitting at 51 Canada Street, Lake Cargelligo NSW 2672. It forms part of the NSW Local Court system, the busiest tier of the state's court structure, and serves the townships and rural properties of the Lachlan Shire. The daily Lake Cargelligo court list on this page brings together every matter scheduled before the court, so defendants, legal practitioners, witnesses, and members of the public can confirm a hearing date, a court time, and a listing type without contacting the registry directly. Because the courthouse operates as a regional circuit venue rather than a daily sitting court, checking the published law list in advance is the most reliable way to know whether the court is sitting and what is listed.

Lake Cargelligo is one of the more remote court locations in inland New South Wales. The town sits roughly 564 kilometres west of Sydney and around 113 kilometres north of Griffith, on the shore of the lake that shares its name. The courthouse falls within the traditional lands of the Wiradjuri people and services a dispersed farming population across grain, sheep, wool, and beef country. For anyone travelling long distances to attend, the accuracy of the Lake Cargelligo Local Court schedule matters a great deal, and this page is built to keep that information current.

Where the Lake Cargelligo Local Court sits

The courthouse is located in the Lachlan Shire local government area, one of the largest shires by land area in New South Wales at close to 15,000 square kilometres yet home to only about 6,150 residents. Condobolin is the shire's council seat and largest town, while Lake Cargelligo is the second major centre. At the 2021 Census the town of Lake Cargelligo recorded a population of 1,430 people, including an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population of 257, or around 18 per cent of residents, which is well above the state average and shapes the profile of matters that come before the court.

The surrounding district is sparsely settled. Neighbouring localities include Condobolin about 93 kilometres to the east, Hillston roughly 91 kilometres to the south west, West Wyalong about 113 kilometres to the south, and Tullibigeal to the south east. The court sits within the state electorate of Barwon and the federal division of Parkes. This geography is the practical reason the court runs on a shared regional circuit rather than opening five days a week, and it explains why Audio Visual Link facilities have become central to how the court operates.

What matters the court hears

As a Local Court, Lake Cargelligo deals with the large majority of criminal and civil matters that arise in its catchment. The NSW Local Court finalises the overwhelming share of criminal prosecutions in the state, and the daily Lake Cargelligo court list reflects that breadth. Listings you may see on the schedule include the following.

Criminal and traffic matters

• Summary offences heard and decided by a magistrate, such as low-range and mid-range drink driving, common assault, and property offences.
• Traffic matters, including licence appeals, negligent driving, and drive while disqualified or suspended.
• Committal proceedings for serious indictable offences, which begin in the Local Court before being sent to a higher court.
• Bail applications, sentence hearings, and defended hearings where a plea of not guilty has been entered.

Apprehended violence and civil matters

• Apprehended Domestic Violence Orders (ADVOs) and Apprehended Personal Violence Orders (APVOs), both applications and defended hearings.
• Small civil claims and general civil disputes within the Local Court's monetary jurisdiction.
• Mentions and adjournments where a matter is listed for a procedural step rather than a final decision.

Where a charge is too serious to be finalised summarily, the matter is committed to the District Court. For this part of the state, indictable matters are commonly listed at the nearest District Court sitting, and you can follow those proceedings through the Griffith District Court list once a matter leaves the Local Court. Keeping both lists in view helps parties track a case from its first mention to its final outcome.

Sitting days and how the circuit works

Lake Cargelligo Local Court is a circuit court that opens on scheduled Wednesdays rather than every weekday. It is grouped with a cluster of nearby courthouses on the same regional circuit, so a magistrate and court staff rotate through the district according to a published calendar. The circuit that includes Lake Cargelligo also takes in Parkes, Forbes, and Cowra, each of which has its own sitting pattern. If your matter is not listed at Lake Cargelligo on a given date, it may have been allocated to another court on the circuit, which is why confirming the court schedule before travelling is important.

Practitioners and self represented parties often cross reference the neighbouring venues on this circuit. You can compare sitting dates and listings against the Parkes Local Court list and the Cowra Local Court list, both of which share resources with Lake Cargelligo. Because listings shift when a sitting day falls on a public holiday or when the circuit calendar is revised, the daily list on this page is refreshed to reflect the most recent scheduling data available.

Contact details and registry hours

The registry handles filing, fee payment, subpoenas, and general enquiries. On sitting Wednesdays the registry counter operates on limited regional hours, so it is best to phone ahead if you need to lodge a document or speak with staff.

• Street address: 51 Canada Street, Lake Cargelligo NSW 2672
• Postal address: PO Box 79, Lake Cargelligo NSW 2671
• Phone: (02) 6898 1005
• Fax: (02) 6898 1248
• Email: local-court-lake-cargelligo@justice.nsw.gov.au
• Registry hours: 10:00 am to 1:00 pm and 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm on sitting days
• Days open: Wednesday

Details such as counter hours and sitting arrangements can change at short notice, particularly around public holidays and court vacation periods. Always confirm current information with the registry before you attend.

Audio Visual Link and remote appearances

Audio Visual Link (AVL) facilities are available at the Lake Cargelligo courthouse. AVL allows a party, a witness, or a legal representative to appear remotely instead of travelling to the courtroom in person, which is a significant benefit in a district where the nearest larger centres are more than an hour's drive away. On this circuit, Parkes, Forbes, Cowra, and Lake Cargelligo all offer AVL and remote witness facilities, and Parkes serves as an alternate AVL location when needed. If you intend to appear by AVL, arrange it with the registry and your legal representative in advance so the link can be booked for your listing.

NSW Local Court caseload in context

Understanding how busy the wider Local Court system is puts a small circuit venue like Lake Cargelligo in perspective. According to the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, the state's criminal courts finalised 156,256 court appearances in 2025, an increase of 8.3 per cent on the previous year. The Local Court accounted for the vast majority of that workload, with finalisations rising 9.1 per cent from 134,735 in 2024 to 146,977 in 2025. Domestic violence related matters continued to climb, up 13.3 per cent, and now make up more than one in four Local Court finalisations across New South Wales.

Timeliness has improved at the summary level. The median time from arrest to finalisation for defended hearings in the Local Court fell to 247 days in 2025, down from 275 days the year before. These figures reflect statewide trends rather than a single courthouse, but they show why regional circuit courts, AVL appearances, and accurate online lists have become so important to keeping matters moving in rural New South Wales. For a town the size of Lake Cargelligo, even a modest list of matters on a sitting Wednesday represents a meaningful share of local justice activity.

Preparing for a Lake Cargelligo court appearance

A little preparation reduces stress on the day and helps your matter run smoothly. The steps below apply whether you are appearing in person or by Audio Visual Link.

• Check the list the day before. Confirm your name, your court time, and the listing type on the current Lake Cargelligo court list, and note that names are partially masked for privacy.
• Arrive early. Most matters are listed together at the start of the sitting, so allow time to find parking, pass through the entrance, and speak with your lawyer or the duty solicitor.
• Bring your paperwork. Carry any court notice, brief, character references, or documents relevant to your matter.
• Seek legal advice. Legal Aid NSW, a local solicitor, or the duty solicitor service can help you understand your options before you face the magistrate.
• Dress and behave appropriately. Courtrooms expect quiet, respectful conduct, and phones should be switched off or silenced.

Frequently asked questions

What days does the Lake Cargelligo Local Court sit?

The court operates as a circuit venue and generally sits on scheduled Wednesdays rather than every weekday. Sitting dates follow the regional circuit calendar shared with Parkes, Forbes, and Cowra, so always confirm the current court schedule before attending.

Where is the Lake Cargelligo Local Court located?

The courthouse is at 51 Canada Street, Lake Cargelligo NSW 2672, in the Lachlan Shire in the Central West of New South Wales, about 564 kilometres west of Sydney and 113 kilometres north of Griffith.

What types of cases are heard here?

The court hears summary criminal offences, traffic matters, bail applications, sentence and defended hearings, apprehended violence order applications, committal proceedings for serious charges, and civil disputes within the Local Court's jurisdiction.

How do I check the Lake Cargelligo court list today?

The daily law list on this page shows the matters scheduled before the court, including the party name, court room, and listing time. Listings display matters in the days ahead and are updated regularly, though you should verify any detail with the registry.

Can I appear by Audio Visual Link?

Yes. AVL facilities are available at the Lake Cargelligo courthouse, allowing remote appearances for eligible parties, witnesses, and practitioners. Arrange AVL through the registry and your legal representative before your listing date.

What happens if my matter is too serious for the Local Court?

Serious indictable charges begin with committal proceedings in the Local Court and are then sent to the District Court for trial or sentence. For this region those matters are commonly listed at the nearest District Court sitting.

How do I contact the registry?

Call the registry on (02) 6898 1005 during its sitting day hours, email local-court-lake-cargelligo@justice.nsw.gov.au, or write to PO Box 79, Lake Cargelligo NSW 2671. Because counter hours are limited on a circuit court, phoning ahead is recommended.