The Richmond Magistrates Court daily law list is your reliable resource for tracking every matter listed before the court at 53 Goldring Street, PO Box 17, Richmond QLD 4822 (DX 41152), in the heart of the Shire of Richmond in North West Queensland. This remote outback courthouse serves one of the most sparsely populated judicial districts in the state, sitting roughly 498 kilometres west of Townsville and 406 kilometres east of Mount Isa along the Flinders Highway. Whether you need to confirm a hearing date, check who is appearing, or review an upcoming matter on the Richmond court list, this page brings the scheduling information you need into one accessible place.
Richmond is the administrative centre of the Shire of Richmond, a local government area covering approximately 26,581 square kilometres yet home to just 761 residents at the 2021 Census, with the township itself recording a population of 578. That population density of around 0.03 people per square kilometre helps explain why the Richmond Magistrates Court operates on limited hours rather than as a daily-sitting metropolitan registry. The court is a compact, single-magistrate venue built to serve the pastoral communities, cattle stations and remote properties that stretch across the surrounding black-soil grazing country.
About the Richmond Magistrates Court
The Richmond Magistrates Court is part of the Magistrates Court of Queensland, the state's busiest and lowest tier in the court hierarchy. Across roughly 130 courthouse locations statewide, the Magistrates Court hears close to 95 per cent of all court matters in Queensland, making it the entry point for almost every criminal and civil proceeding in the state. The court operates under the Magistrates Courts Act 1921 (Qld) and the Justices Act 1886 (Qld), with matters heard before a single magistrate and no jury.
The registry business hours are 10.00am to 2.30pm, Monday to Friday, reflecting the reduced volume typical of a small outback court. The court can be contacted by phone on (07) 4741 3227 or by email at courthouse.richmond@justice.qld.gov.au. Because Richmond is a circuit location rather than a permanently staffed judicial centre, a magistrate travels to hear listed matters on scheduled sitting days rather than every business day, so checking the current Richmond Magistrates Court list before attending is strongly recommended.
Where Richmond sits in the court circuit
Richmond forms part of the Townsville circuit court arrangement within the broader North West Queensland judicial region. Historically, hearings requiring more than half a day at Richmond have been shared with the neighbouring Hughenden Magistrates Court, approximately 115 kilometres to the east, and listed together to make efficient use of a travelling magistrate's time. This circuit model is common across outback Queensland, where courts at places such as Mount Isa administer a network of remote sitting locations including Cloncurry, Julia Creek, Camooweal, Boulia, Dajarra and Birdsville. If your matter is complex or contested, you can view scheduling for the region's principal hub on the Mount Isa Magistrates Court list, which coordinates much of the surrounding circuit calendar.
What matters appear on the Richmond court list
The Richmond Magistrates Court daily law list can include a broad cross-section of the matters that the Magistrates Court is empowered to hear. Because this is a rural service court, the mix is weighted toward everyday criminal, traffic and protection order work rather than large commercial litigation. Typical listings include:
- Summary criminal offences such as minor assault, public nuisance, theft and drug possession, which a magistrate can determine without referral to a higher court.
- Traffic and drink-driving matters, including drive-under-the-influence charges, unlicensed driving and vehicle-related offences common along the Flinders Highway freight corridor.
- Domestic and family violence protection order applications, one of the highest-volume categories in Queensland's Magistrates Courts.
- Civil disputes within the Magistrates Court monetary limit of up to $150,000.
- Bail applications, mentions and adjournments where a future date is set.
- Committal hearings, where the magistrate assesses whether the evidence is strong enough to refer a serious indictable offence to the District or Supreme Court.
Serious indictable matters that begin at Richmond are ultimately committed upward. Appeals and higher-level criminal trials for the region are handled through the Townsville Supreme and District Court, which anchors the northern circuit that Richmond feeds into. Understanding this pathway helps defendants, witnesses and family members know where a matter is likely to travel next.
How Queensland daily law lists are published
Queensland court lists are refreshed on a strict daily cycle. Magistrates Court lists are updated for the current day at 6.45am and again at 8.45am to account for overnight arrests, while Supreme and District Court lists are published no later than 6.00pm for the following day. This means a Richmond court list checked the night before may differ from the version that appears on the morning of a sitting, so refreshing the list on the day of your appearance is the safest approach. Every list is subject to non-publication and suppression orders where they apply, and the onus rests with anyone using court information to ensure their use does not breach such an order.
Understanding common court list terminology
If you are unfamiliar with the language used in Queensland daily law lists, the following quick guide covers the terms you are most likely to encounter on the Richmond Magistrates Court list:
- Mention: A brief procedural appearance where the matter is reviewed and a future date is set.
- Callover: The reading through of listed matters at the start of a sitting to organise the day's order.
- Adjournment: The postponement of a matter to a later date.
- Committal hearing: A hearing to decide whether there is sufficient evidence to send a serious matter to a higher court.
- Sentence: The stage where the magistrate determines a penalty after a guilty plea or finding.
- Defended hearing: A contested hearing where evidence is tested before the magistrate reaches a decision.
- NTA (Notice to Appear): A police-issued notice directing a person to attend court on a specified date.
Practical information for attending the Richmond courthouse
The Richmond courthouse is located on Goldring Street, the town's main street, whose name recalls Richmond's nineteenth-century origins as a transit point on the Woolgar goldfields coach route. The town also sits on the Great Northern Railway and the Flinders Highway, both of which run west from Townsville through Richmond toward Cloncurry and Mount Isa. For travellers arriving from surrounding cattle properties, Richmond functions as an essential service hub with a hospital, school, fuel and accommodation, making it a natural centre for the district's legal proceedings.
Because the court operates on reduced hours and circuit sitting days, anyone with a matter listed should confirm the sitting date well in advance, allow for the long driving distances typical of North West Queensland, and arrive early. If you are unsure whether your matter is proceeding, checking the current Richmond Magistrates Court list alongside the broader Queensland Magistrates Court listings is the quickest way to verify. Seeking legal advice before a first appearance is also worthwhile, particularly in criminal matters where a conviction can carry lasting consequences.
Why circuit courts matter in outback Queensland
Small courts like Richmond are a vital part of ensuring access to justice across Queensland's vast interior. The state's court network reaches from metropolitan Brisbane and major regional centres such as Townsville, Cairns, Rockhampton and Mount Isa all the way to remote communities and single-magistrate circuit venues. Without courts like Richmond, residents of a shire spanning more than 26,000 square kilometres would face journeys of several hundred kilometres simply to attend a mention or a bail hearing. The circuit system, where a magistrate travels to the community rather than requiring the community to travel to the magistrate, keeps the justice system within practical reach of even the most isolated pastoral districts.
Frequently asked questions about the Richmond Magistrates Court
Where is the Richmond Magistrates Court located?
The court is at 53 Goldring Street, Richmond QLD 4822, with postal address PO Box 17, Richmond QLD 4822 (DX 41152). It is in the Shire of Richmond in North West Queensland, about 498 kilometres west of Townsville.
What are the Richmond Magistrates Court hours?
The registry operates from 10.00am to 2.30pm, Monday to Friday. As a circuit court, a magistrate attends on scheduled sitting days, so it is important to confirm the sitting date before travelling.
How can I contact the Richmond courthouse?
You can call the court on (07) 4741 3227 or email courthouse.richmond@justice.qld.gov.au for enquiries about listed matters or registry services.
What types of cases does the Richmond Magistrates Court hear?
The court hears summary criminal offences, traffic and drink-driving matters, domestic and family violence protection order applications, civil disputes up to $150,000, bail applications, mentions and committal hearings for more serious matters that may be referred to a higher court.
How often is the Richmond court list updated?
Magistrates Court lists across Queensland are updated for the current day at 6.45am and again at 8.45am to reflect overnight arrests. Always refresh the list on the morning of your appearance to see the most current version.
Where do serious matters from Richmond go?
Serious indictable offences that begin at Richmond may be committed to a higher court, with the region's District and Supreme Court work handled through Townsville. Appeals from the Magistrates Court are heard in the District Court of Queensland.