SA Clare Criminal List Today

The Clare Magistrates Court sits in the heart of South Australia's Mid North, roughly 136 kilometres north of Adelaide, and its criminal list is one of the busiest sources of regional legal activity in the Clare and Gilbert Valleys. Unlike the metropolitan registries that open five days a week, Clare operates as a circuit court, meaning a magistrate travels to the town on scheduled sitting days to hear matters, and the courtroom is open only when the circuit is in session. If you are searching for the daily criminal court list for Clare, you are looking for the record of who is appearing, when they are scheduled, and which courtroom or magistrate is allocated to each matter on that sitting day.

This page brings the Clare criminal listings together in one accessible place so defendants, family members, legal practitioners, journalists and members of the public can check appearance details without navigating multiple government portals. Below you will find verified information about how the court works, what its criminal jurisdiction covers, when it sits, and how to read a court list correctly. The aim is to give you accurate, current and genuinely useful detail rather than a thin directory entry.

About the Clare Magistrates Court criminal jurisdiction

The Clare Magistrates Court forms part of the Magistrates Court of South Australia, the lowest tier of the state's three court system, which was first established in 1837 as the Court of Petty Sessions under the Court of Sessions Act. The Magistrates Court sits beneath the District Court of South Australia, established in 1969, and the Supreme Court of South Australia, which is the state's court of last resort. Around 95 per cent of all criminal matters in South Australia begin and end in the Magistrates Court, which makes the criminal list at circuit locations like Clare the front line of the justice system for the surrounding district.

In its criminal jurisdiction, the Clare court deals with summary offences and minor indictable offences. Summary offences are less serious charges that a magistrate can finalise without a jury, and the sentencing options available include fines, good behaviour bonds, community service and imprisonment of up to two years for a single offence. Common matters listed at Clare include drink driving and traffic offences, low level assault, theft, property damage, breaches of intervention orders, drug possession and driving while disqualified. More serious indictable charges may first appear at Clare for procedural steps before being committed to the District Court or Supreme Court in Adelaide for trial or sentencing.

Where the Clare court sits and who it serves

The Clare courthouse is located at 18 Burton Street, Clare SA 5453, in a town with a population of about 3,379 residents recorded at the 2021 census. Clare is the administrative and service centre for the District Council of Clare and Gilbert Valleys, a local government area covering roughly 1,840 square kilometres of vineyards, cereal cropping and grazing country in the Yorke and Mid North region. Because the court draws matters from a wide rural catchment rather than a dense city population, its criminal list can vary significantly from one sitting day to the next.

The town itself was established in 1842 by Edward Burton Gleeson, who named it after County Clare in Ireland. Today the Clare Valley is nationally recognised for its Riesling and wine tourism, but for residents of the Mid North the courthouse remains a practical and important local institution. When the court is sitting, support services attend alongside the magistrate, including Aboriginal Justice Officers, the Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement, and Correctional Services staff, which reflects the court's role in serving the whole community.

When does the Clare Magistrates Court sit?

Because Clare is a circuit court, it does not hear matters every weekday. A magistrate is rostered to travel to Clare on specific sitting days set out in the annual circuit court roster published by the Courts Administration Authority of South Australia. On days when the court is not sitting, general enquiries about Clare matters are directed to the Adelaide Magistrates Court, which administers the circuit. This is an important distinction, because a matter may be listed for a future Clare sitting date even though the courthouse itself is closed on the day you make your enquiry.

If your matter is listed at Clare and you cannot attend in person, you should contact the registry well before your appearance date to ask about alternatives such as appearing by phone or video, or requesting an adjournment. Failing to appear when required can result in a warrant being issued or the matter being determined in your absence, so confirming your listing early is always the safest approach.

How to read the Clare criminal court list

A criminal court list is a scheduling document, not a record of guilt or outcome. Each entry typically shows the defendant's name, the listing time, the courtroom, the type of appearance and sometimes the presiding magistrate. Understanding the appearance type helps you know what to expect on the day. The most common listing categories you will see include:

• First appearance, where a charge is formally read and the defendant indicates how they intend to proceed.
• Mention, a short administrative hearing to check on the progress of a matter or set a future date.
• Plea, where the defendant enters a plea of guilty or not guilty.
• Sentencing, where a magistrate imposes a penalty after a guilty plea or finding.
• Committal, where a serious charge is prepared for transfer to a higher court.
• Trial or contested hearing, where evidence is heard and the matter is decided.

Listings are usually published a day or two in advance and can change at short notice, so it is wise to check the list on the morning of the sitting as well as the day before. If you are unsure which appearance type applies to you, the notice you received from the court will state the reason your matter is listed.

Verified facts about the Clare court and the SA system

The following details are drawn from official South Australian court and government sources and give a clear factual picture of where Clare fits within the state's justice framework:

• The Magistrates Court of South Australia was established in 1837, making it one of the oldest continuously operating courts in the country.
• The court's civil jurisdiction covers minor civil actions and general claims up to $100,000, while its criminal jurisdiction is limited to summary and minor indictable offences.
• Maximum imprisonment for a single summary offence dealt with in the Magistrates Court is two years.
• Clare is one of a network of country and circuit Magistrates Court locations across South Australia that also includes Berri, Ceduna, Kadina, Mount Barker, Mount Gambier, Murray Bridge, Port Augusta, Port Lincoln, Port Pirie, Tanunda and Whyalla.
• Appeals from a Magistrates Court decision are heard by the District Court or the Supreme Court of South Australia, depending on the nature of the matter.
• Since 29 August 2022, the Joint Criminal Rules 2022 (SA) have applied to criminal proceedings across South Australian courts, including the Magistrates Court.

These figures matter because they set the boundaries of what the Clare court can and cannot do. A matter that exceeds the Magistrates Court's sentencing limits or involves a serious indictable charge will not be finalised at Clare, even if it first appears there.

Getting legal help before your Clare appearance

If you are facing a criminal charge listed at Clare, seeking advice early gives you the best chance of understanding your rights and options. Eligible people can access free or low cost help through the Legal Services Commission of South Australia, which provides duty solicitor assistance at many court locations, and community legal centres operating in regional South Australia. Private criminal lawyers in Adelaide and the Mid North also appear at Clare on circuit sitting days. Whether you engage a private solicitor or use a duty lawyer, arranging representation before your first appearance is far preferable to seeking it on the day.

For those tracking matters across the wider state, our SA criminal court listings hub brings together every sitting location in South Australia in one place. Defendants and practitioners dealing with more serious charges committed upward may also wish to follow the SA District Court criminal listings, since indictable matters from Clare are transferred there. Nearby regional courts in the same part of the state, such as the Port Pirie criminal court listings and the Port Augusta criminal court listings, cover overlapping catchments and are worth checking if your matter has been relocated or if you are unsure which venue applies.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Clare Magistrates Court open every day?

No. Clare is a circuit court and only opens on scheduled sitting days when a magistrate travels to the town. On non sitting days, enquiries about Clare matters are handled by the Adelaide Magistrates Court.

What kinds of criminal matters are heard at Clare?

The Clare court hears summary offences and minor indictable offences, including traffic and drink driving charges, low level assault, theft, property damage, drug possession and breaches of intervention orders. Serious indictable charges may appear briefly before being committed to a higher court.

Where is the Clare courthouse located?

The court is at 18 Burton Street, Clare SA 5453, in the Mid North region about 136 kilometres north of Adelaide.

Does appearing on the court list mean someone is guilty?

No. A court list is only a schedule of who is due to appear and when. It does not indicate guilt, and many listings are procedural steps such as mentions or first appearances rather than sentencing.

What happens if I miss my Clare court date?

Missing a required appearance can lead to a warrant being issued or the matter being decided without you. If you cannot attend, contact the registry before your listing date to discuss an adjournment or an alternative way to appear.

Can serious charges be finalised at Clare?

Generally no. Serious indictable offences that exceed the Magistrates Court's jurisdiction are committed to the District Court or Supreme Court of South Australia in Adelaide for trial or sentencing.