Wadeye, once known as Port Keats, is one of the largest Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory and has its own bush court sittings. The Local Court sits at the Wadeye Police Station on Perdjert Street when the northern circuit comes through, and on the published list these sittings appear under the location Wadeye. This page shows the Wadeye court list for today and the next sitting day whenever the court is sitting there.
How the Wadeye bush court works
There is no resident judge in Wadeye. A Darwin-based judge, a court clerk, prosecutors and defence lawyers travel to the community for the sitting, usually for one to several days. Matters are heard in courtroom C1 at the police station. Because the court is only there for a short time, a lot is packed into each day, and hearings, pleas, sentences and domestic violence matters often run side by side.
Wadeye is in the West Daly region. Road travel is mostly limited to the dry season because river crossings become impassable in the wet, so the court and many visitors arrive by light aircraft. Weather can delay or cancel a sitting at short notice.
What is heard
- hearings of contested charges;
- pleas of guilty and sentencing;
- directions hearings and mentions;
- domestic violence order applications and mentions;
- bail matters for people who live in the community.
More serious charges may be sent to Darwin for a preliminary examination or a Supreme Court trial.
Reading the Wadeye court list
Each line shows the start time, the surname and initials of the person appearing, the courtroom (usually C1) and the listing type. Most matters are listed for 9.30am or 10.00am. The judge decides the running order on the day, so people may wait for several hours. Names covered by a suppression order and every youth matter are left off the list.
When the list appears
A Wadeye list only exists on circuit days. On other days this page will be empty. When a sitting is coming up, the next day's list is usually released by late morning the day before.
Address and contact
Wadeye Police Station, 79 Perdjert Street, Wadeye NT 0822 (the court's listed sitting place).
- Circuit court registrar (Darwin): (08) 8999 7151
- Darwin Local Court criminal registry: (08) 8999 6417
The circuit court registrar handles listing questions for all northern bush courts. Staff can confirm a date or tell you whether a matter has moved, but cannot give legal advice. Lawyers from the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency and Legal Aid travel with the court, and interpreters can be arranged if the registry is told early.
Security
The same court rules apply at bush court sittings: weapons are prohibited, phones are not to be used in the courtroom, and no recording is allowed without the court's written permission.
Related lists
If a Wadeye matter is moved to town it will appear on the darwin court list at Nichols Place. Other northern circuit sittings include the nhulunbuy court list. All Territory lists are on the nt court list page.
Frequently asked questions
Why is the Wadeye court list empty?
The court only sits in Wadeye on circuit days. Call the circuit court registrar on (08) 8999 7151 to find the next sitting.
Where exactly does the court sit?
At the Wadeye Police Station on Perdjert Street, in the room the list shows as C1.
What happens if the sitting is cancelled because of weather?
Matters are adjourned to a later date, either at the next Wadeye sitting or in Darwin. Your lawyer or the registry will tell you the new date.
Can family members attend?
Yes. Adult court sittings are open to the public unless the judge orders otherwise.