| Name | Case ID | Division |
|---|---|---|
| J** NELSON v ENDEAVOUR GROUP LTD | CI-25-04471 | LG |
| A** Gibson v COLES SUPERMARKETS AUSTRALIA | CI-25-05158 | LG |
| D** Vo v Victorian WorkCover Authority | CI-25-07215 | LS |
| D** Galea v Victorian WorkCover Authority | CI-26-00124 | LS |
| T** KANDAKJI v TOLL PERSONNEL PTY LIMITED | CI-26-00290 | LS |
Last updated: 10 Sep 2026, 1:58 am. Names are partially masked for privacy. Details may change — always check with the Registry.
The County Court of Victoria is the state's principal trial court and the busy intermediate tier of the Victorian court hierarchy, sitting above the Magistrates' Court and below the Supreme Court. Each sitting day it hears serious indictable crime, substantial civil claims and appeals travelling up from the summary jurisdiction, which is exactly why so many solicitors, barristers, accused persons, witnesses, journalists and support workers need a fast and reliable way to check the daily County Court list. On this page you can search today's County Court hearings by name, courtroom and division, and this guide explains how the Court works, what it hears, and how to read a listing before you attend.
Established in 1852 under the County Courts Act and now operating under the County Court Act 1958 (Vic), the Court has grown from a body created to resolve small civil claims into the workhorse of Victoria's justice system. With roughly 70 sitting judges, it hears up to 12,000 cases each year across three divisions. In May 2025 Amanda Chambers was appointed Chief Judge, becoming the first woman to lead the Court and succeeding Justice Peter Kidd, who held the role from 2015 to 2025. Understanding this structure helps you work out where a matter will be listed and what to expect once you arrive.
What the County Court of Victoria hears
The County Court has broad criminal and civil jurisdiction and organises its work across three divisions: Criminal, Common Law and Commercial. It hears almost all indictable offences, with only a narrow band of the gravest charges, such as murder, manslaughter and treason, reserved for the Supreme Court. Typical criminal matters include armed robbery, sexual offences, serious assaults causing grievous bodily harm, large-scale drug trafficking and serious fraud. The Court also hears appeals from the criminal jurisdiction of the Magistrates' Court and from the criminal and family divisions of the Children's Court, so a single courthouse handles both first-instance trials and appeals on the same day.
On the civil side, the Court has unlimited monetary jurisdiction but in practice hears disputes above the Magistrates' Court threshold of $100,000. Its Common Law Division deals with personal injury claims, WorkCover and transport accident matters, defamation and general damages disputes, while the Commercial Division resolves contractual disagreements, building and construction cases, insolvency-related litigation and other business disputes. This spread means the County Court list on any given day can move from a jury trial for a serious offence to a complex commercial argument within the same building.
How the County Court fits into the Victorian court hierarchy
Victoria operates a three-tier court structure. The Magistrates' Court handles roughly 90% of all matters that come before Victorian courts and disposes of summary offences and smaller civil claims. Matters too serious for that jurisdiction are committed up to the County Court, and decisions of the County Court may in turn be appealed to the Court of Appeal within the Supreme Court of Victoria. If you are tracking a matter that has moved between tiers, you may also need to check the Melbourne Magistrates' Court daily list for the earlier committal stage or the Supreme Court of Victoria listings for any appeal. Knowing which tier a case sits in saves considerable time when you are searching listings under pressure.
County Court statistics and recent performance
The Court's own reporting shows a jurisdiction operating at scale and recovering strongly from pandemic-era disruption. According to the County Court of Victoria Annual Report 2024-25, criminal trial initiations rose by 13% compared with the previous year, the Commercial Division finalised more than 40% additional cases year on year, and the Common Law Division recorded its highest ever number of annual finalisations. The Court also finalised 71% of all criminal cases within 12 months, a meaningful indicator of how quickly serious matters are now moving through the trial pipeline.
These figures matter for anyone planning attendance. Higher initiation and finalisation numbers mean busier daily lists, more courtrooms in use and a greater chance that your matter shares a sitting day with several others. The Court's sustained effort to reduce jury trial backlogs, first flagged in its 2022-23 reporting as it moved away from COVID-19 operations, has continued to shape listing patterns, and the recent clearance improvements reflect that ongoing work. Checking the live list rather than relying on an old notice is the safest way to confirm your courtroom and time.
Key facts at a glance
- Established: 1852, now governed by the County Court Act 1958 (Vic)
- Principal registry: 250 William Street, Melbourne
- Judges: approximately 70 sitting judges
- Annual caseload: up to 12,000 cases
- Divisions: Criminal, Common Law and Commercial
- Chief Judge: Amanda Chambers, appointed May 2025
- Civil threshold: generally matters exceeding $100,000
- Appeals from: Magistrates' Court and Children's Court criminal and family divisions
- Appeals to: Court of Appeal, Supreme Court of Victoria
Where the County Court sits: Melbourne and circuit locations
The Court's headquarters is the purpose-built complex at 250 William Street in Melbourne, but its work extends well beyond the city. Judges travel on circuit to conduct criminal trials and civil hearings at twelve regional centres: Bairnsdale, Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong, Horsham, Mildura, Morwell (Latrobe Valley), Sale, Shepparton, Wangaratta, Warrnambool and Wodonga. This circuit model brings serious trials closer to the communities where offences occurred and where witnesses live, reducing travel burdens on regional Victorians.
The Court also runs the County Koori Court, which by 2023-24 operated across eight locations in Victoria and is designed to increase Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participation in the sentencing process. Specialist lists such as the Drug and Alcohol Treatment Court have also expanded, with the first graduations from Drug and Alcohol Treatment Orders celebrated in 2023-24. If you are checking listings for a regional trial, remember that a circuit sitting may run for only part of the year, so confirming the date through the live daily list is essential.
How to read the County Court daily list
A County Court listing typically shows the case or party names, the matter type, the assigned judge or judicial officer where known, the courtroom number and the scheduled start time. Criminal matters may display an indictment number, while civil matters carry a proceeding number. Because a suppression order can restrict access to a case, some matters may appear with limited detail or not at all. Listings can change during the day as trials collapse, plead out or run over, so treat the list as a live document rather than a fixed timetable.
For the broader picture across every tier, the consolidated Victorian court lists bring the Supreme, County and Magistrates' jurisdictions into one searchable place, which is useful when a client has matters in more than one court on the same day. If your search relates to a summary matter or a committal rather than a trial, the Victorian Magistrates' Court listings will usually be the right starting point.
Tips before you attend a County Court hearing
- Search by surname and cross-check the courtroom number, as several matters may share a listing block.
- Arrive early, since security screening at 250 William Street can take time on busy sitting days.
- Confirm whether the hearing is in person or via audio-visual link, as some directions hearings run remotely.
- Check the list again on the morning of the hearing, because start times and courtrooms are frequently reallocated.
- Note that jury trials can run for several days or weeks, so a listing may be a continuation rather than a fresh start.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the County Court and the Magistrates' Court in Victoria?
The Magistrates' Court handles summary offences and civil claims up to $100,000 and finalises the vast majority of Victorian matters, while the County Court hears serious indictable crime, civil disputes generally above $100,000, and appeals from the Magistrates' Court. County Court trials can involve a jury, whereas Magistrates' Court matters are decided by a magistrate sitting alone.
Are County Court hearings open to the public?
Yes. Proceedings are generally open to the public, and members of the public may watch from the gallery unless a judge closes the courtroom in the interests of justice or a suppression order applies. Some sentences and judgments are also made available through the Court's public channels.
How often is the County Court daily list updated?
Daily lists are prepared for each sitting day and can change throughout the day as matters resolve, adjourn or run over. For this reason you should always check the most recent version of the list on the morning of your hearing rather than relying on an earlier copy.
Where is the County Court of Victoria located?
The principal registry is at 250 William Street, Melbourne. The Court also sits on circuit at twelve regional centres including Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo, Shepparton, Warrnambool, Mildura, Sale, Morwell and Wodonga.
Can I appeal a County Court decision?
Yes. Appeals from the County Court are heard by the Court of Appeal within the Supreme Court of Victoria, although most appeals require permission before they can proceed.
