| Name | Court Room | Time |
|---|---|---|
| SULLIVAN, M** V M** M** | Courtroom 2 | 09:30 am |
Last updated: 11 Sep 2026, 10:33 am. Names are partially masked for privacy. Details may change — always check with the Registry.
The Wangaratta Magistrates' Court is the principal venue for summary criminal, civil and family violence matters heard in the north-east of Victoria, serving one of the largest regional catchments in the state. Located at 24 Faithfull Street, Wangaratta VIC 3677, the court sits within the Rural City of Wangaratta, a regional centre of roughly 29,808 people (2021 Census) positioned at the junction of the Ovens and King rivers. It is approximately 236 kilometres from Melbourne along the Hume Highway, 73 kilometres from Albury and 98 kilometres from Shepparton, which makes it a natural hub for legal proceedings across the Ovens Valley and surrounding shires. Anyone searching for the Wangaratta court list today, confirming a hearing date, or preparing to appear will find the venue operating under the framework of the Magistrates' Court Act 1989 (Vic).
As the entry point for the overwhelming majority of legal matters in the region, this court handles a broad and steady flow of work. The Magistrates' Court of Victoria is the highest-volume court in the state, and its venues collectively finalised 160,959 criminal cases in 2022–23, a 21 per cent rise on the prior year. In 2023–24 the court sentenced 85,462 cases across Victoria, and over the two decades to June 2024 it sentenced an average of 83,587 cases each year. Regional venues such as Wangaratta carry a meaningful share of that statewide caseload, hearing everything from traffic offences and minor assaults to intervention order applications and the early stages of serious indictable prosecutions.
Where the Wangaratta Magistrates' Court fits in Victoria's court system
Victoria's court structure is tiered, and the Magistrates' Court sits at its base as the busiest tier by volume. Above it are the County Court of Victoria and the Supreme Court of Victoria, which deal with the most serious indictable crime and higher-value civil disputes. The Magistrates' Court operates from more than 51 venues statewide, organised into 13 administrative regions, each built around a headquarter court supported by smaller circuit and regional venues. Wangaratta is one of these regional venues, sitting alongside neighbouring courts at Wodonga, Benalla, Myrtleford and Shepparton to give the north-east reliable local access to justice.
The court's location also carries significance beyond the summary jurisdiction. Wangaratta is one of the 12 regional circuit locations where County Court of Victoria judges travel to hear criminal and civil matters, alongside Bairnsdale, Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong, Horsham, Mildura, Morwell, Sale, Shepparton, Warrnambool and Wodonga. This means residents of north-east Victoria can have serious matters heard closer to home rather than travelling to Melbourne, reducing the cost and disruption that regional litigants would otherwise face.
What matters the court hears
The criminal jurisdiction of the Magistrates' Court hears and determines all summary offences, hears some indictable offences that can be dealt with summarily, and conducts committal proceedings that filter serious charges up to the higher courts. Typical summary matters include drink and drug driving, unlicensed driving, low-level assault, theft, drug possession, property damage and public order offences. Committal hearings test whether the prosecution evidence is strong enough for a matter to proceed to trial in the County Court or Supreme Court, making the Magistrates' Court a critical gateway in almost every serious prosecution.
On the civil side, the court can hear disputes up to the value of $100,000, covering debts, claims for damages, and other monetary or equitable disputes. Smaller disputes valued at $15,000 or less are managed through the Small Claims List, a streamlined process designed to be accessible to self-represented parties who do not have a lawyer. This civil work sits alongside the court's protective jurisdiction, which is a substantial part of daily business at regional venues.
Intervention orders and family safety
The Magistrates' Court can make two types of intervention orders: family violence intervention orders and personal safety intervention orders. Family violence intervention orders protect people from violence or threats by a family member or partner, while personal safety intervention orders address threatening or abusive behaviour by people who are not family members, such as neighbours or acquaintances. These applications form a significant and sensitive part of the caseload at Wangaratta and other regional courts, and they are heard separately from the standard criminal and civil lists.
Finding the Wangaratta court list and confirming a hearing date
Daily court lists are published to help everyone involved in a matter know when and where to appear. In Victoria these lists function as timetables of all the sittings and matters scheduled at a particular court for that day, and they are typically released for the next day of business. For criminal and civil matters, the Magistrates' Court now uses the CMS Portal Hearing Search, which from 30 June 2026 replaced the criminal and civil components of the older EFAS system. Through this search you can enter a case number or a surname to locate a listing, although family violence and personal safety intervention order hearings are deliberately not published in the online search to protect the parties involved.
If you are trying to check the Wangaratta court list today, it is worth confirming details close to your hearing, because listings can change after they are first posted. Court lists across Victoria are usually updated in the late afternoon on the day before, and a matter can be moved, adjourned or relisted at short notice. For people appearing at nearby venues, the same publication process applies, so those checking the Wodonga court list or another regional court will follow an identical routine of searching by name or case number and verifying the sitting room on the day.
Sitting days and access
The Wangaratta Magistrates' Court does not sit every day. Regional courts operate on scheduled sitting days rather than as a permanent daily list, so it is essential to confirm your specific date and time before travelling. The court building is on Faithfull Street in central Wangaratta, with on-street parking only, so allowing extra time to find a space and pass through security is sensible, particularly on busy criminal list days. Wangaratta is well connected by the Hume Highway and by V/Line rail, with the Wangaratta railway station on the North East line providing regional access from Melbourne, Benalla and Wodonga.
Specialist and therapeutic court programs
Victoria operates several specialist court programs designed to address the underlying causes of offending rather than simply processing charges. One of the most significant for regional communities is the Koori Court, a sentencing court for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who have taken responsibility and pleaded guilty to a criminal offence. The Koori Court model brings Aboriginal Elders and Respected Persons into the sentencing conversation, aiming to make the process more culturally meaningful and to reduce reoffending. According to the Magistrates' Court, more than 93 per cent of matters are dealt with in the Magistrates' or Children's Court rather than being sent to the higher courts, which underlines how much of the justice system's therapeutic and diversionary work happens at this level.
Other programs available across the Victorian magistrates' system include the Assessment and Referral Court list for people with a mental illness or cognitive impairment, the Drug Court, and the criminal justice diversion program, which allows eligible first-time or low-level offenders to avoid a criminal record by completing conditions set by the court. The diversion program is an important disposition, and cases that receive a diversion plan are counted separately from formal sentences. Availability of specialist lists varies between venues, so anyone hoping to access a particular program at a regional court should seek legal advice about eligibility well before their hearing.
Preparing to appear at the Wangaratta Magistrates' Court
Good preparation reduces stress and improves outcomes. If you have received a charge sheet, summons or intervention order application, read it carefully to identify the date, the courtroom and what is being alleged. Arrive early, dress neatly, and bring any documents relevant to your matter, including correspondence, receipts or evidence you intend to rely on. If you are pleading guilty, you may wish to prepare references and material about your personal circumstances, because magistrates take these into account when sentencing. If you are contesting a matter, understanding the process for a contest mention and a contested hearing will help you know what to expect.
Legal representation is not compulsory at the Magistrates' Court, and many people appear without a lawyer, particularly in the Small Claims List and in minor traffic matters. However, for criminal charges that carry a real risk of a conviction, a fine or imprisonment, obtaining advice from a solicitor or a duty lawyer is strongly worthwhile. Victoria Legal Aid provides a duty lawyer service at many court locations for eligible people, and community legal centres in the region can assist with advice. For higher-value civil claims or serious criminal matters that may be committed to the County Court, professional representation becomes far more important.
The regional context of the court's workload
The demand on regional courts reflects the communities they serve. Wangaratta anchors a catchment that stretches across the Ovens Valley and into the alpine shires, drawing matters from surrounding towns that do not have their own permanent court. This concentration of work is why the venue also functions as a County Court circuit location. Across the state the court has invested heavily in reducing delay, cutting more than 63,000 matters from its pending caseload since the December 2020 peak and achieving a 53 per cent reduction in cases running longer than 12 months. Online hearings and case management reforms have been central to that recovery, and regional venues have benefited from the same efficiency drive.
For practitioners and members of the public tracking multiple venues, it helps to understand how the north-east courts relate to one another. Matters may be transferred between Wangaratta and the Benalla Magistrates' Court depending on listing capacity, and the broader picture of every sitting venue across the state is easiest to follow through the consolidated Victorian court lists directory. Serious matters that move beyond the summary jurisdiction will progress to the County Court of Victoria, whether heard on circuit in the region or in Melbourne.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the Wangaratta Magistrates' Court located?
The court is at 24 Faithfull Street, Wangaratta VIC 3677, in central Wangaratta. Postal correspondence can be sent to PO Box 504, Wangaratta VIC 3677. Parking is on-street only, so allow additional time on busy list days.
How do I check the Wangaratta court list for today?
Criminal and civil listings can be searched through the Magistrates' Court CMS Portal Hearing Search by entering a case number or a surname. Lists are generally published for the next day of business and updated in the late afternoon, and details can change after posting, so confirm close to your hearing. Intervention order hearings are not published online.
What types of cases does the court hear?
It hears summary criminal offences, some indictable offences dealt with summarily, and committal proceedings for serious charges. It also determines civil disputes up to $100,000, manages small claims up to $15,000, and makes family violence and personal safety intervention orders.
Do I need a lawyer to appear?
Legal representation is not required, and many people appear self-represented, especially for minor traffic and small claims matters. For criminal charges or higher-value civil disputes, legal advice is strongly recommended, and a duty lawyer service may be available at court for eligible people through Victoria Legal Aid.
Does the Wangaratta court sit every day?
No. As a regional venue it operates on scheduled sitting days rather than a continuous daily list, so you must confirm your specific hearing date and time before attending. Wangaratta also serves as a circuit location for the County Court of Victoria, so higher-court matters are heard here periodically.
What is the Koori Court?
The Koori Court is a sentencing court for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who have pleaded guilty to a criminal offence. It involves Aboriginal Elders and Respected Persons in the sentencing process to make it more culturally appropriate and to help reduce reoffending, reflecting the therapeutic focus that runs through Victoria's regional courts.
