Darwin Local Court is the Territory's busiest courthouse. It sits in the Nichols Place building on the corner of Cavenagh and Bennett Streets in Darwin City, and it is where most criminal charges laid in the Top End are first heard. On the published list the venue appears as Nichols Place Darwin, and on a normal weekday that one location carries several hundred listings across courtrooms C1 to C7. If you have been told to attend, this page shows the Darwin court list for today and, once the court has released it, the list for the next sitting day.
What the Darwin Local Court hears
The Local Court of the Northern Territory replaced the old Court of Summary Jurisdiction and the former Local Court in 2016, under the Local Court Act 2015. Its judicial officers are called judges, and there are no juries: the judge decides guilt and the sentence. In Darwin the court deals with:
- summary offences and the less serious indictable offences, which are finished in this court;
- preliminary examinations for serious indictable charges, where a judge decides whether there is enough evidence to send the case to the Supreme Court for a jury trial;
- bail applications, bail mentions and first appearances after arrest;
- domestic violence and personal violence restraining order applications, which are handled only by the Local Court;
- civil claims between $25,000 and $250,000, plus some claims of any value up to that ceiling such as defamation and Fair Work Act claims;
- Work Health Court matters, heard by Local Court judges.
Claims under $25,000 cannot start here and go to the NTCAT hearing list instead, while claims over $250,000 go to the Supreme Court. Appeals from a Local Court decision are lodged with the Supreme Court within 28 days.
Reading the Darwin court list
Each line shows the listing time, the name of the person or company appearing, the courtroom and the type of listing. Most matters start at 9.00am, 9.30am or 10.00am, with an afternoon block from 2.00pm. A few practical points:
- Courtroom codes. C1 is usually the busy morning list for mentions, bail applications and people brought from the watch house. C6 often carries preliminary examination mentions. MAG1 also appears against some listings.
- Listing types. A mention is a short appearance to set the next step. A preliminary examination (paper or oral) is the committal stage for serious charges. Sentence indication, plea guilty and sentence listings mean the case is close to finishing. A hearing is a contested matter where witnesses give evidence.
- Repeated names. A person with several files can appear more than once at the same time and room. That is normal; all files are usually called together.
- Changes on the day. Courtrooms are reallocated during the morning, so check the screens in the foyer when you arrive.
Names whose publication has been restricted do not appear, and the Youth Justice Court list is never published. Youth matters in Darwin are heard at a separate venue, the TCG Building at 80 Mitchell Street.
When the list is available
The Local Court releases the list for the current day and for the next sitting day. The next day's list is usually up by late morning the day before and can change through the afternoon as bail matters, arrests and adjournments are added. Weekend and public holiday arrests are dealt with on the next sitting day, which is why Monday and post-holiday lists in Darwin run long.
Address, registry hours and phone numbers
The courthouse is at Nichols Place, corner of Cavenagh and Bennett Streets, Darwin NT 0800 (postal: GPO Box 1281, Darwin NT 0801). The registry is open Monday to Friday, 8.45am to 4pm.
- Criminal registry: (08) 8999 6417
- Civil registry: (08) 8999 7280
- Domestic violence clerk: (08) 8999 6370
- Circuit court registrar (bush courts): (08) 8999 7151
Registry staff can confirm a date, a courtroom or whether a matter is still listed, but they cannot give legal advice. The Northern Territory Legal Aid Commission and the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency both run duty lawyer services at the court.
Getting there
Nichols Place sits in the middle of the Darwin CBD. The Darwin city bus interchange on Harry Chan Avenue is a short walk away, and paid street parking and multi-level car parks are close by, though spaces fill quickly before 9am. The darwin supreme court list is heard a few blocks south at State Square, so allow time if you need to move between the two buildings.
Security and conduct
Everyone entering is scanned and may be searched by court security officers under the Court Security Act. Knives, weapons and anything that could be used as one are prohibited. Mobile phones are not allowed in courtrooms and may only be used for calls in public areas, and recording of any kind inside the building needs the court's written permission. Officers can ask for your name, address and reason for being there.
The northern circuit run from Darwin
Darwin-based judges also sit at bush courts across the Top End, including Nhulunbuy, Wadeye, Alyangula, Maningrida, Ramingining, Jabiru, Gunbalanya, Daly River, Wurrumiyanga, Milikapiti, Galiwinku, Numbulwar, Pirlangimpi, Borroloola, Gapuwiyak and Angurugu. Those sittings appear under their own location name rather than Nichols Place, for example the wadeye court list and the nhulunbuy court list. For every Territory list in one place, see the nt court list page.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find my matter on the Darwin court list?
Search the table for your surname. Surnames are shown first, followed by initials. If you cannot find it, call the criminal registry on (08) 8999 6417 with your file number.
What does "Nichols Place Darwin" mean on the list?
It is the court's name for the main Darwin Local Court building at Nichols Place. Matters at bush courts appear under the community name instead.
What time should I arrive?
Aim to be there at least 30 minutes before your listed time to clear security, find your courtroom and speak with a duty lawyer if you need one.
Can I watch a hearing?
Yes. The court is open to the public and media unless a judge orders otherwise. Youth matters and some domestic violence matters are closed.