| Name | Court Room | Time |
|---|---|---|
| ELLIS, M** L** | Court Room 2 | 10:00am |
| SMITH, D** R** | Court Room 2 | 10:00am |
Last updated: 10 Sep 2026, 10:02 am. Names are partially masked for privacy. Details may change — always check with the Registry.
The District Court registry in Bunbury sits at 3 Stephen Street, Bunbury WA 6230, the same purpose-built justice precinct that houses the region's Magistrates Court and Family Court sittings. As the intermediate court in Western Australia's three-tier hierarchy, the District Court occupies the level between the Magistrates Court, where the majority of matters begin, and the Supreme Court, which handles the most serious indictable offences and the largest civil disputes. For anyone appearing at Bunbury, or for the solicitors, self-represented litigants, family members and journalists who follow these proceedings, knowing how the District Court operates in the South West and where to find the daily hearing schedule saves time and removes a great deal of guesswork.
Bunbury is one of only twelve country registries maintained by the District Court of Western Australia, alongside Albany, Broome, Busselton, Carnarvon, Derby, Esperance, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Karratha, Kununurra and South Hedland. The principal registry is located at 500 Hay Street in Perth, but because the court services a state spanning roughly 2.5 million square kilometres, judges travel on circuit to regional centres such as Bunbury throughout the year. This circuit model is what allows a coastal city 175 kilometres south of Perth to host serious criminal trials and higher-value civil hearings without every party being forced to travel to the capital.
Understanding the District Court's role in Bunbury
The District Court of Western Australia commenced on 1 April 1970, created in response to the growing pressure placed on the Magistrates Court and Supreme Court as the state's population expanded. At its inception the court had just four judges. Today there are around 30 judges of the court, all based in Perth, who travel on circuit to regional areas including Bunbury on a regular basis. Five registrars, appointed under the District Court of Western Australia Act 1969, carry out delegated responsibilities such as case management and procedural directions. The current Chief Judge, Julie Anne Wager, has led the court since 2 May 2020.
When the District Court sits in Bunbury, it deals with matters that are too serious for a magistrate but do not require the Supreme Court. In its criminal jurisdiction, the court hears serious indictable offences for which the maximum penalty is up to 25 years imprisonment, including armed robbery, serious and sexual assaults, grievous bodily harm, serious fraud and commercial theft, burglary and drug trafficking. Criminal trials are heard before a judge and jury, or before a judge sitting alone. In its civil jurisdiction, the District Court determines claims of up to $750,000 and holds unlimited jurisdiction in claims for damages arising from personal injury, which is why so many motor vehicle, workplace and public liability matters are finalised at this level.
Where the District Court fits in the WA court hierarchy
The structure is easiest to understand as a ladder. The Magistrates Court handles summary offences, committals and civil disputes up to $75,000, with a simplified minor cases procedure capped at $10,000. Matters that exceed those thresholds, or that involve serious indictable charges, are committed upward to the District Court. Appeals from the District Court are heard by the Supreme Court of Western Australia, while the District Court itself hears appeals from magistrates in civil actions. Understanding this pathway helps explain why a single defendant or party might appear across more than one court venue in the same city as a matter progresses.
- Magistrates Court: summary offences, committals, civil claims up to $75,000, minor cases up to $10,000.
- District Court: serious indictable offences up to 25 years, civil claims up to $750,000, unlimited personal injury damages.
- Supreme Court: the most serious offences such as murder, and the largest and most complex civil and commercial disputes.
How to read and access the Bunbury District Court list
A court list, sometimes called a cause list, is the official daily schedule of every matter set down for hearing at a venue on a given day. It typically shows the case name or number, the courtroom allocated, the scheduled start time, the presiding judicial officer, and an abbreviation describing the type of proceeding, such as a trial, sentencing, directions hearing or callover. In Western Australia these schedules are published through the government eCourts portal, and lists for the next day of business are generally updated in the late afternoon, so it is worth checking again after 4:30pm if a matter has only just been listed.
Because official portals can be slow to search across multiple venues, many people use an aggregated directory to find the right list quickly. Our platform brings together the daily schedules of the Supreme Court, District Court, Magistrates Court, Family Court, Coroners Court and the State Administrative Tribunal into one searchable place, covering more than 60 court venues across the state. If you are trying to confirm a Bunbury hearing, you can also cross-check nearby regional venues in the same session, which is useful when a matter has been transferred or a party is appearing at more than one location in the South West.
Tips for confirming your hearing details
- Check the venue name carefully. Bunbury hosts District Court circuit sittings as well as Magistrates and Family Court matters at the same Stephen Street precinct, so confirm which jurisdiction your matter falls under before you travel.
- Note that some listings are not publicly displayed due to legislative or court requirements, and matter names may be suppressed to protect the parties. If a name does not appear, use the matter number from your correspondence.
- Details can change after lists are posted. If you cannot locate today's listing, contact the Bunbury registry directly on (08) 9781 4200 to confirm.
- Arrive early. Courtrooms and start times shift to suit the needs of the day, and circuit sittings can be reorganised at short notice.
Bunbury and the South West legal landscape
Bunbury is the third most populous city in Western Australia after Perth and Mandurah, with a population of around 76,452 recorded at the 2021 Census. As the commercial and administrative heart of the South West region, it draws court business from a wide catchment that includes the shires of Capel, Dardanup and Harvey, as well as smaller centres across the surrounding area. That concentration of population and activity is precisely why the District Court maintains a registry here rather than requiring every regional litigant to travel to Perth.
The scale of court activity across Western Australia illustrates why efficient access to listings matters. Criminal case lodgements in the Magistrates Court reached 104,002 in 2024-25, up from 93,180 the previous year, an increase of nearly 12 percent. During the same period the District Court finalised 405 criminal cases and 49 civil cases by trial statewide. Regional registries such as Bunbury absorb a meaningful share of that workload through circuit sittings, which keeps justice geographically accessible in a state with the most dispersed court system in the country.
Legal support in Bunbury and the wider region
Appearing in the District Court, whether as a defendant, a witness, a party to a civil claim or a support person, can be daunting. Serious criminal matters and higher-value civil disputes usually warrant early legal advice, and eligible people may be able to access free or low-cost assistance through Legal Aid Western Australia or a local community legal centre. For those following matters at neighbouring venues, the Busselton Magistrates Court listings are a common companion search given how frequently the two South West registries share circuit and regional business.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the District Court in Bunbury located?
District Court matters in Bunbury are heard at 3 Stephen Street, Bunbury WA 6230, the same courthouse precinct used for Magistrates Court and Family Court sittings. The registry can be contacted on (08) 9781 4200. The District Court's principal registry remains at 500 Hay Street, Perth.
What types of cases does the Bunbury District Court hear?
The District Court hears serious indictable criminal offences such as serious assaults, sexual offences, armed robbery, serious fraud and drug trafficking, with maximum penalties of up to 25 years imprisonment. On the civil side it determines claims up to $750,000 and has unlimited jurisdiction for personal injury damages. Less serious matters are dealt with in the Bunbury Magistrates Court.
How do I find the Bunbury District Court list for today or tomorrow?
Daily court lists for Western Australia are published through the eCourts portal and are usually updated in the late afternoon for the next day of business. You can search all WA venues, including District Court circuit sittings, through our aggregated Western Australia court listings directory rather than checking each court website separately.
Does the District Court sit in Bunbury permanently?
No. Bunbury is one of twelve country registries. The court's 30 judges are based in Perth and travel to Bunbury on circuit to hear regional matters, so sitting days vary. Always confirm the current schedule before attending, as circuit listings can change at short notice.
Can I attend a District Court hearing in Bunbury as a member of the public?
Courts in Western Australia are generally open to the public, though some listings are suppressed under legislative or court requirements and certain proceedings are closed. If a matter name is not displayed, you can identify it using the matter number shown on your court correspondence.
What is the difference between the District Court and the Family Court in Bunbury?
The District Court handles serious crime and higher-value civil disputes, while the Family Court of Western Australia deals with divorce, parenting arrangements, property division and related matters. The Family Court holds a limited number of sittings in Bunbury each year, and you can review those separately alongside the Federal Court daily list where a matter involves federal jurisdiction.
