The Supreme Court of New South Wales is based in the Sydney CBD, but it also sits in Parramatta, where criminal trials and other matters are heard in the courtrooms of the Parramatta Justice Precinct on George Street. Western Sydney is home to a large share of the state's population, and holding Supreme Court sittings there means that accused people, witnesses, jurors and families from Parramatta, Blacktown, Penrith, Liverpool and the Hills district do not always have to travel into the city for the most serious cases. This page brings together the Parramatta Supreme Court list for the current sitting day and the next one, so you can check whether a matter is listed, which courtroom it is in and what time it is due to start.
The Supreme Court is the highest court in New South Wales. It was established under the Third Charter of Justice, proclaimed on 17 May 1824, and now operates under the Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW). The Court marked its bicentenary in 2024, which makes it one of the oldest superior courts in Australia. Beneath it sit the District Court and the Local Court, and knowing where a Parramatta sitting fits within that structure helps parties, witnesses and members of the public understand what to expect on the day.
What the Supreme Court hears at Parramatta
The Supreme Court has unlimited jurisdiction in both criminal and civil matters, which sets it apart from the courts below it. The work listed at Parramatta is mostly criminal, and the matters that come before a Supreme Court judge are the most serious the justice system deals with. Murder and manslaughter trials are heard by the Supreme Court, as are other cases of serious criminality that the Court takes on. Trials are usually heard by a judge and a jury of twelve, although in some cases an accused person can apply for a trial by judge alone.
Not every listing is a trial. A Parramatta list can also include sentence hearings after a plea of guilty or a verdict, arraignments where an accused person is formally asked to plead, directions hearings that set a timetable for a case, and bail applications. Civil, equity and appeal work is concentrated in the Sydney CBD courthouses, so most people with a civil claim will find their matter listed there rather than at Parramatta.
Criminal matters you may see on the list
- Homicide trials, including murder and manslaughter, which are the core of the Court's criminal work.
- Sentence hearings, where the judge hears evidence and submissions before deciding on a penalty.
- Arraignments and mentions, which are short appearances to take a plea or set the next step in a case.
- Bail applications connected to matters before the Court.
How Parramatta fits with the other courts in the precinct
The Parramatta Justice Precinct opened in 2008 and brought several courts together in one part of the Parramatta CBD. The Sydney West Trial Courts building hosts jury trials for both the District Court and the Supreme Court, and the Parramatta Local Court, the Children's Court and the Drug Court are close by. The Federal Circuit and Family Court sits in the Garfield Barwick Commonwealth Law Courts building nearby. Because so many courts share the same few streets, check your court attendance notice or subpoena carefully to make sure you go to the right building. Many people who search for the Parramatta local court list or the Parramatta district court list are in fact due before a different court in the same precinct.
How the Supreme Court differs from the District and Local Courts
The Local Court finalises the great majority of criminal matters in New South Wales. Serious indictable offences begin there but are committed for trial or sentence to a higher court. Most of those go to the District Court, which hears serious offences such as armed robbery, serious assault and drug supply in commercial quantities, and which has civil jurisdiction for claims of up to $750,000. Only the gravest matters, homicide above all, are heard in the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court is also the state's main appeal court. The Court of Criminal Appeal hears appeals against convictions and sentences from the District Court and from trials in the Supreme Court itself, and the Court of Appeal hears civil appeals. Beyond that, a party can only go further by seeking special leave to appeal to the High Court of Australia. A trial that begins in Parramatta can therefore end up shaping the law well beyond Western Sydney.
Jury service, witnesses and victims
Most Supreme Court trials at Parramatta are heard by a jury, and jurors are drawn from people living in the surrounding area. Jury summonses are sent by the Sheriff of New South Wales to people chosen at random from the electoral roll. If you receive a summons, follow the instructions on it carefully. You may be able to apply to be excused, for example because of illness, caring responsibilities or travel already booked, but you must make the application in the way the summons describes rather than simply not attending. Jurors are usually told on the first day how long the trial is expected to run, and murder trials in particular can last for several weeks.
Witnesses are generally required to attend by a subpoena, which sets out the date and time they are needed. Prosecution witnesses and victims in serious criminal matters can get help from the Witness Assistance Service of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, which explains how a trial works and can arrange support on the day. Victims Services NSW also provides counselling and other help for victims of violent crime and for the families of homicide victims. If you are giving evidence and feel anxious about seeing the accused person, ask the prosecution team about the support and arrangements that may be available.
Bail and suppression orders
Bail applications in the Supreme Court are decided under the Bail Act 2013 (NSW). A person refused bail in a lower court can apply to the Supreme Court, and these applications are often short matters that appear on the list alongside trials. The Court can also make suppression or non-publication orders under the Court Suppression and Non-publication Orders Act 2010 (NSW), for example to protect the identity of a witness or to make sure a fair trial is not put at risk. Anyone reporting on or sharing details of a case, including on social media, needs to check whether an order applies. Breaching one is a serious offence.
Attending a Supreme Court sitting in Parramatta
Court hearings are generally open to the public, so family members, students and journalists can usually sit in the public gallery. A judge can close a courtroom or make suppression or non-publication orders in some cases, for example to protect a witness, and those orders must be followed. Recording and photography are not allowed in the courtroom.
- Location: the Parramatta Justice Precinct on George Street, Parramatta, a short walk from Parramatta railway station and bus interchange.
- Registry phone: 1300 679 272, the NSW courts enquiry line.
- Security: all visitors pass through security screening, so allow extra time before your matter is due to start.
- Interpreters: if you or a witness need an interpreter, raise it with the registry or your lawyer well before the hearing date.
- Parking: parking in the Parramatta CBD is limited and often time restricted, so public transport is usually the easier option.
How to read the Parramatta Supreme Court list
A court list is the running sheet for a sitting day. For a Supreme Court sitting at Parramatta it usually shows the case name, the courtroom, the start time and the type of listing. Criminal cases are generally shown as R v followed by the surname of the accused person, where R stands for the Crown. Supreme Court lists are much shorter than Local Court lists because the Court hears fewer but far weightier matters, and a long trial can take up a courtroom for several weeks.
- Check the court. Make sure you are looking at the Supreme Court list and not the District or Local Court list for the same precinct.
- Search for the name. Use the surname of the accused person or the case name from your paperwork to find the right entry.
- Note the courtroom and time. The list tells you where to go and when the matter is expected to be called.
- Arrive early. Allow at least 30 minutes for security screening and to find the courtroom.
- Check again on the morning. Matters can be moved to another courtroom, delayed or adjourned at short notice, particularly during a trial.
If a matter has moved to the city, the Supreme Court of NSW Sydney list covers sittings in the CBD courthouses. Regional sittings are listed separately, for example on the Newcastle Supreme Court page.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Supreme Court sit permanently in Parramatta?
The Supreme Court's main courthouses are in the Sydney CBD, but the Court regularly lists criminal trials and related matters at Parramatta. Whether it is sitting on a given day depends on its trial calendar, so check the list on this page before you travel.
What kind of case is heard by the Supreme Court in Parramatta?
Mostly serious criminal matters, especially murder and manslaughter trials, along with sentence hearings, arraignments and bail applications linked to those cases.
Can I watch a trial?
Yes, in most cases. Hearings are generally open to the public, although the judge can close the court or restrict what may be published. Phones must be silent and recording is not permitted.
How do I contact the registry?
Call the NSW courts enquiry line on 1300 679 272 during business hours. If you have a lawyer, they can also confirm the listing and the courtroom for you.
Do I need a lawyer?
Anyone facing a charge in the Supreme Court should get legal advice. Legal Aid NSW can help people who meet its eligibility rules. This page gives general information only and is not legal advice.