| Name | Court Room | Time |
|---|---|---|
| D**, S** OR DISPOSE | Court 1 | 11:30AM |
| A**, O** | Court 1 | 11:30AM |
| A**, O** OR | Court 1 | 11:30AM |
Last updated: 15 Jul 2026, 11:05 am. Names are partially masked for privacy. Details may change — always check with the Registry.
The Kadina Magistrates Court is a circuit court on the Yorke Peninsula that sits only on scheduled circuit days, hearing summary and minor indictable criminal matters for the Copper Coast region and surrounding rural districts. Located at 58 Graves Street, Kadina, South Australia 5554, the court is not staffed on a permanent basis. Instead, a magistrate travels to Kadina on rostered sitting days, and all registry functions, correspondence and enquiries are managed by the Registrar at the Port Pirie Magistrates Court, PO Box 583, Port Pirie SA 5540. If you have received a summons, a bail notice or a court date for a Kadina criminal listing, this page explains how the court operates, what to expect on the day, and where to confirm your matter before you travel.
Because Kadina operates as a circuit location rather than a daily-sitting registry, the criminal list here is smaller and more concentrated than at metropolitan courts. This matters when you are planning your day. The court telephone line, +61 8 8638 4901, is answered on sitting days only, while the Port Pirie registry line, +61 8 8638 4902, and the email address portpirie@courts.sa.gov.au operate during standard business hours. Confirming whether the court is sitting before you make the 144 kilometre trip north-north-west from Adelaide can save you a wasted journey.
Where the Kadina Criminal Court fits within the South Australian court system
The Magistrates Court of South Australia is the entry point and highest-volume tier of the state's court hierarchy. It was established in 1837 as the Court of Petty Sessions and now operates under the Magistrates Court Act 1991 (SA). In its criminal jurisdiction, the court deals with summary offences, which can be resolved by a fine, a good behaviour bond, community service or imprisonment of up to two years, along with minor indictable offences that are heard summarily unless the accused elects a trial in a higher court. More serious indictable matters that begin at Kadina, such as committals, are transferred to the District Court or the Supreme Court of South Australia.
The scale of this jurisdiction is significant. According to the Productivity Commission's Report on Government Services 2026, there were 750,028 criminal matters lodged and 725,538 finalised across Australia's supreme, district, magistrates' and children's courts in 2024 to 2025, with a national criminal clearance rate of 96.7 per cent. The overwhelming majority of these criminal matters are heard in magistrates' courts, which is why a regional circuit court like Kadina forms a working part of a very large national caseload despite its modest local footprint.
Kadina is one of a network of country circuit locations across South Australia. Magistrates travel on circuit to serve communities including Ceduna, Clare, Tanunda, Victor Harbor, Mount Barker, Bordertown, Kingscote, Millicent, Naracoorte, Peterborough, Coober Pedy and the APY Lands. This circuit model exists to keep justice geographically accessible in a state where distance is a genuine barrier. Rather than requiring every defendant on the Yorke Peninsula to travel to Adelaide, the court comes to the region on set days.
Court services available at Kadina on sitting days
On circuit sitting days, the Kadina court venue provides Magistrates Court criminal hearings, Youth Court matters and Aboriginal Justice Officer support where required. Additional support services are scheduled around the circuit. The Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement attends on the Monday or Tuesday of the court circuit week if required, Correctional Services attends on Mondays, and a Court Companion is available where requested by the prosecution. The venue also handles South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (SACAT) matters and offers on-site interview rooms with accessible facilities for visitors with mobility needs.
- Magistrates Court criminal hearings: summary offences, minor indictable offences heard summarily, first appearances, guilty pleas and sentencing.
- Youth Court: criminal matters involving young people, dealt with separately from the adult list.
- Bail and adjournment applications: commonly the first step for matters that will later be listed at a larger registry.
- Support services: Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement, Correctional Services and Court Companion attendance, scheduled by day within the circuit week.
Understanding the Kadina criminal court list
A daily court list, sometimes called a cause list or a listing, is the official schedule of matters set down to be heard. For a criminal listing it typically shows the defendant's name, the listing type, the courtroom and the time the court is due to sit. Checking the list before you attend confirms your matter is proceeding, tells you whether it has been adjourned, and helps you plan your arrival. For a circuit court such as Kadina, this step is especially important because the court does not sit every day and last-minute changes to the circuit roster can occur.
Criminal listings at a magistrates' level move through recognisable stages. A first appearance is often brief and may be adjourned so the accused can obtain legal advice or the prosecution can serve the brief of evidence. If a plea of guilty is entered, the matter may proceed to sentencing on the same day or be adjourned for a pre-sentence report. If a plea of not guilty is entered, the court will usually set the matter down for a trial or a further directions hearing. Many matters that begin at Kadina are adjourned to the Port Pirie registry or another sitting for their next step, which is why reading the list carefully and noting any transfer is worthwhile.
If you are appearing for a criminal matter, arriving early, dressing respectfully and bringing any paperwork you have received is sensible. Mobile phones should be silenced, and you should be prepared to wait, as matters are not always called in the order they appear on the list. If you cannot locate your name or you are unsure which sitting your matter has moved to, the Port Pirie registry can confirm the position for you.
The community Kadina serves
Kadina is the largest town on the Yorke Peninsula and the principal service centre for the surrounding agricultural district. According to the 2021 Census, the Kadina urban centre recorded a population of 4,666, while the wider Copper Coast local government area recorded 15,050 residents. The town was established in 1861 following the discovery of copper and is one of the three Copper Triangle towns, historically known as Little Cornwall for their Cornish mining heritage. The Copper Coast has a median age of 54 years, well above the national median of 38, which reflects its established residential and retiree base.
These demographics shape the court's workload. A regional community of this size, spread across farmland and coastal townships, generates a criminal list dominated by driving offences, minor property matters, breaches of intervention orders and lower-level offending, rather than the volume of complex matters seen in Adelaide. Recent estimates suggest continued modest growth, with one property data provider estimating the Kadina population at roughly 5,851 by May 2026, an increase of about 437 people since the 2021 Census. A growing population generally corresponds with a gradual increase in matters coming before the local circuit.
How to confirm a Kadina sitting date and prepare
Because Kadina only opens on circuit sitting days, the single most useful thing you can do is confirm the sitting before you travel. The circuit roster is set in advance, but it can change. Contacting the Port Pirie Magistrates Court, which administers Kadina, is the reliable way to verify the date, the courtroom and whether your matter remains listed. If your matter involves a summary offence with a possible custodial outcome, or if you intend to plead not guilty, obtaining legal advice ahead of the sitting is strongly recommended, as duty solicitor availability at a circuit location is limited.
For those comparing listings across the region, it can help to cross-check nearby registries. The Port Pirie criminal court list is directly relevant because Port Pirie administers the Kadina circuit, and matters frequently move between the two. The nearby Clare Magistrates Court criminal listings serve the adjoining Mid North district and follow the same circuit model. For statewide criminal matters and the busiest daily list, the Adelaide Magistrates Court criminal cases registry on King William Street is the central reference point. You can also browse the full network of regional and metropolitan listings through the South Australia court listings today hub.
Appeals and where a Kadina matter can go next
Decisions of the Magistrates Court are not the end of the road. A person dissatisfied with a conviction, a sentence or a judgment can appeal to the District Court of South Australia, and in defined circumstances to the Supreme Court of South Australia. The Supreme Court is the state's court of last resort and hears the most serious offences, including murder, manslaughter and treason, as well as appeals through its Court of Appeal division. Understanding this pathway helps explain why a straightforward first appearance at Kadina forms the base of a much larger structure, and why accurate, timely list information at every level of the system is valuable to defendants, families, legal practitioners and the media alike.
Frequently asked questions about the Kadina Criminal Court
Is the Kadina Magistrates Court open every day?
No. Kadina is a circuit court and only opens on scheduled circuit sitting days. The court telephone is answered on sitting days only. For enquiries at other times, contact the Port Pirie Magistrates Court, which manages the Kadina registry.
Where is the Kadina Criminal Court located?
The court sits at 58 Graves Street, Kadina, South Australia 5554, roughly 144 kilometres north-north-west of Adelaide on the Yorke Peninsula. Registry correspondence is directed to the Registrar, Port Pirie Magistrates Court, PO Box 583, Port Pirie SA 5540.
What kinds of criminal matters are heard at Kadina?
The court hears summary offences and minor indictable offences dealt with summarily, along with Youth Court criminal matters. Summary offences can attract a fine, a good behaviour bond, community service or imprisonment of up to two years. More serious indictable matters are transferred to the District or Supreme Court.
How do I check the Kadina criminal court list?
Confirm your listing before you attend, as circuit dates can change. Reviewing the daily list tells you whether your matter is proceeding, has been adjourned or has moved to another registry such as Port Pirie. If you cannot find your matter, the Port Pirie registry can confirm its status.
Who administers the Kadina Magistrates Court?
The Port Pirie Magistrates Court administers Kadina. All registry functions, including correspondence, file enquiries and general contact, are handled by the Port Pirie registry on +61 8 8638 4902 or at portpirie@courts.sa.gov.au.
Can I get legal help at the Kadina court?
Support services attend on circuit, including the Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement on the Monday or Tuesday of the circuit week where required, and a Court Companion where requested by the prosecution. Because availability at a circuit location is limited, arranging your own legal advice ahead of the sitting is recommended.
