The WA District Court at Albany Justice Complex is the regional home of intermediate court justice for the Great Southern, and this page gives you a clear, current picture of how it works, what it hears, and where to find the daily court list. The Albany Justice Complex sits at 184 Stirling Terrace, Albany WA 6330, in the historic heart of the city overlooking Princess Royal Harbour. When the District Court sits here, it does so on circuit, meaning a District Court judge travels from Perth to hear serious criminal trials, sentences and mentions in Court Room 1 of the complex. If you are an accused person, a victim, a witness, a legal practitioner or simply a member of the public following a matter, the information below explains the court's role, its jurisdiction, its listing schedule and the practical details you need before you attend.
What the WA District Court at Albany Justice Complex does
The District Court of Western Australia is the state's intermediate trial court, positioned between the Magistrates Court below it and the Supreme Court above it in the court hierarchy. It was established on 1 April 1970 under the District Court Act 1969 (WA) and is headquartered in Perth with twelve country registries, including Albany. At the Albany Justice Complex, the District Court deals with serious indictable offences and higher value civil disputes that fall outside the reach of the Magistrates Court, bringing this level of justice directly to the Great Southern rather than requiring every regional matter to be heard in Perth.
Because Albany is a circuit location rather than a permanent District Court registry, sittings run in blocks across the year. A single District Court judge presides, and matters are grouped into trial weeks so that regional accused persons, victims and witnesses can have their cases heard locally. This circuit model is central to how the court delivers access to justice across regional Western Australia, and it is the reason the daily list for Albany changes character depending on whether the court is in a sitting block or between blocks.
Criminal jurisdiction heard at Albany
The District Court hears the majority of serious criminal offences in Western Australia. At the Albany Justice Complex, a District Court judge presides over indictable matters that are too serious for the Magistrates Court but do not fall within the exclusive reach of the Supreme Court. Typical offences dealt with include:
- Serious assaults and grievous bodily harm
- Sexual assault and other serious sexual offences
- Serious fraud and commercial theft
- Burglary and aggravated home burglary
- Armed robbery
- Drug offences, including possession with intent and trafficking
Most criminal matters at Albany proceed as either a trial with a jury or a sentencing hearing following a plea of guilty. Charges are usually committed up to the District Court from the Magistrates Court, then listed for a trial listing hearing before being allocated to a circuit sitting week in Albany.
Civil jurisdiction and monetary limits
On the civil side, the District Court determines claims up to $750,000, with claims generally sitting in the range above the Magistrates Court threshold and below the Supreme Court's higher band. Critically, the District Court has unlimited jurisdiction in claims for damages for personal injury, which means the value of a personal injury claim does not cap it out of this court. For litigants in the Great Southern, that combination makes the District Court the principal forum for most substantial civil disputes and injury claims arising in the region.
Where the Albany Justice Complex is and how to attend
The court operates from the Albany Justice Complex at 184 Stirling Terrace, Albany WA 6330, with postal correspondence directed to PO Box 226, Albany WA 6331. The complex is a landmark in central Albany. Construction of the courthouse began in 1896 and was completed in 1898, and it was designed by the noted Chief Government Architect George Temple Poole and built by Charles Layton. The Albany Court House Complex was entered on the Western Australia Heritage Register as a State Registered Place on 14 February 2003, reflecting its standing as a grand scale regional law and order precinct.
The building is a two storey red brick and granite structure with arched granite doorways and rounded front corners, positioned close to the roadway so that it remains a dominant feature of the Stirling Terrace streetscape. The same complex also hosts Magistrates Court sittings and some Family Court sittings, so if you are attending, check your paperwork carefully to confirm which court and which court room your matter has been listed in.
Practical details before you attend
- Court: District Court of Western Australia (circuit sitting)
- Venue: Court Room 1, Albany Justice Complex
- Address: 184 Stirling Terrace, Albany WA 6330
- Region served: Great Southern and surrounding communities
- Court open to the public: yes, unless a suppression order or closed court applies
Arrive early, allow time for security screening, and silence your phone before entering the court room. If you are unsure whether your matter is running, the daily list is the fastest way to confirm the court room, the judge and the scheduled time.
How Albany circuit sittings are scheduled
Albany is one of twelve regional centres served by the District Court's circuit program, alongside Broome, Bunbury, Busselton, Carnarvon, Derby, Esperance, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Karratha, Kununurra and South Hedland. Criminal sittings in Albany are grouped into blocks that typically run for one, two or three weeks at a time and are spread across the calendar year rather than sitting continuously. Between these blocks, trial listing hearings are conducted by videolink from Perth, and they usually commence at 9:15 am. This blended approach lets the court manage listings efficiently while reserving in person sitting time for trials and sentences that need to be heard in Albany itself.
Because the schedule is organised into blocks, a matter listed for trial in Albany is allocated to a specific sitting week. Practitioners and self represented accused should watch both the circuit sitting dates and the separate trial listing hearing dates, since the two serve different functions in moving a matter towards a final hearing. If you want to compare how sittings run in other parts of the state, the Western Australia court lists hub sets out the registries and circuit centres across WA in one place.
Reading the Albany District Court list
The daily court list is the single most useful document for anyone following a matter at the Albany Justice Complex. It sets out the parties, the case type and the scheduled time. A criminal entry will usually be recorded in the form THE STATE OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA v the accused, followed by an indictment number and a hearing type. Common hearing types you will see include:
- Mention: a short procedural appearance to deal with the progress of a matter
- Trial with Jury: a full contested hearing before a judge and jury
- Sentencing: a hearing where the court imposes a penalty after a plea or finding of guilt
Times shown on the list are indicative. A 9:30 am mention and a 10:00 am jury trial may both be scheduled for the same day, and the order in which matters are reached can shift depending on how the day runs. Always allow for delay, and if you are a witness, follow the instructions given to you by the party who has asked you to attend.
Appeals and where matters go next
The District Court hears appeals from the Magistrates Court, and its own decisions can in turn be appealed to the Supreme Court of Western Australia, which includes the Court of Appeal. For the most serious offences such as murder and for the highest value civil claims, jurisdiction sits with the Supreme Court rather than the District Court. Understanding this ladder helps you work out where an Albany matter has come from and where it may go if a party seeks to challenge the outcome. You can review the broader structure of state and federal jurisdictions on the federal court list page.
Albany in the wider Western Australian court system
Albany's District Court circuit is one piece of a much larger justice network. The Great Southern is served locally by the Albany Justice Complex, while other regional communities rely on their own courthouses and circuits, and the metropolitan area is served by the major Perth court buildings. If your matter is a lower level criminal or traffic charge rather than an indictable offence, it may instead be listed in the Magistrates Court, and you can follow those proceedings through the Albany Magistrates Court listings. For serious matters that escalate beyond the District Court, the WA Supreme Court handles the most serious criminal trials and the highest value civil disputes in the state.
Viewing Albany in this context matters for practical reasons. A single event can produce charges that are split across courts, an accused may have a Magistrates Court mention and a District Court trial in the same complex, and a civil dispute can move up or down the hierarchy depending on the amount claimed. Knowing which court holds your matter is the first step to finding the correct daily list.
Frequently asked questions
What cases does the District Court hear at the Albany Justice Complex?
It hears serious indictable criminal offences such as serious assault, sexual assault, serious fraud, burglary, armed robbery and drug offences, along with civil claims up to $750,000 and personal injury claims with no upper limit. Matters are heard on circuit before a visiting District Court judge in Court Room 1.
Is the District Court always sitting in Albany?
No. Albany is a circuit location, so the District Court sits in blocks across the year rather than continuously. Between sitting blocks, trial listing hearings are usually conducted by videolink from Perth and commence at 9:15 am.
Where exactly is the court located?
The Albany Justice Complex is at 184 Stirling Terrace, Albany WA 6330, with postal mail to PO Box 226, Albany WA 6331. The heritage listed complex sits in central Albany and also hosts Magistrates Court and some Family Court sittings.
How do I know if my matter is being heard today?
Check the daily court list for the Albany Justice Complex, which shows the parties, the hearing type, the court room and the scheduled time. Because listed times are indicative and the running order can change, arrive early and be prepared to wait.
What is the difference between the District Court and the Magistrates Court at Albany?
The Magistrates Court deals with less serious criminal and traffic matters and smaller civil claims, while the District Court handles serious indictable offences and larger civil and personal injury claims. Both can sit within the same Albany Justice Complex, so always confirm which court your matter is listed in.
Can District Court decisions made at Albany be appealed?
Yes. Decisions of the District Court can be appealed to the Supreme Court of Western Australia, which includes the Court of Appeal. The District Court itself also hears appeals from the Magistrates Court.