WA Magistrates Court – Fitzroy Crossing Police Station List Today

The Fitzroy Crossing Magistrates Court sits within the town's justice precinct on the corner of Fallon Road and McLarty Road, directly linked to the Fitzroy Crossing Police Station in the heart of the West Kimberley. This is a circuit venue of the Magistrates Court of Western Australia, meaning it does not run daily sittings like a metropolitan registry. Instead, a circuiting magistrate travels to the town on scheduled dates to hear criminal, civil and restraining order matters for the Fitzroy Valley community. If you are searching for the Fitzroy Crossing court list today, this page helps you understand when the court sits, what it deals with, and how remote sitting arrangements can affect your appearance date.

Fitzroy Crossing is one of the most remote court locations in the country. The town sits roughly 400 kilometres east of Broome, about 300 kilometres west of Halls Creek, and approximately 2,524 kilometres from Perth. The courthouse serves a dispersed population that extends far beyond the townsite itself. At the 2021 Census the Fitzroy Crossing urban centre recorded a population of 1,022, while the wider Fitzroy Valley is home to a further 2,000 or so residents living across up to 50 Aboriginal communities. Around 80 per cent of the valley population identify as Aboriginal, which makes culturally appropriate court services a central part of how justice is delivered here.

About the Fitzroy Crossing Courthouse

The current courthouse is a modern replacement for an ageing 1970s building that had asbestos cladding and no longer met building or security standards. The new facility was funded through the State Government's Royalties for Regions program at a cost of $5.1 million, officially opened on 10 September 2015, and commenced operations on 15 September 2015. The complex was designed as an extension of the neighbouring police station, creating a single justice precinct with a secure custody link between the two buildings. This connection was intended to make prisoner transfers safer and to reduce delays during criminal sittings.

The building itself reflects the community it serves. The Bunuba people, the traditional owners of the land on which the courthouse stands, provided input into the design. The public waiting area displays a mural created by 17 Aboriginal artists from six language groups, being the Bunuba, Gooniyandi, Nyikina, Walmajarri, Wangkatjungka and Ngarinyin peoples, with collaborative public art coordinated through the Mangkaja Arts Resource Agency. The air conditioned facility includes a magistrates courtroom with modern audio visual equipment, four interview and meeting rooms for counsel, judicial chambers, internal and external public waiting areas, and landscaped outdoor spaces. In 2016 the completed development won the Master Builders Kimberley Pilbara award for the best commercial building in the region.

What the Fitzroy Crossing Magistrates Court deals with

As the first tier court in the Western Australian hierarchy, the Magistrates Court handles the bulk of everyday legal matters. In its criminal jurisdiction the court deals with summary offences and less serious indictable charges, along with bail applications, mentions, sentencing and committal hearings that decide whether a serious matter should be sent up to the District Court or Supreme Court for trial. In its civil jurisdiction the court hears claims for debt and damages up to $75,000, with a simplified Minor Cases Procedure for claims up to $10,000.

Restraining orders form a particularly high volume of work at regional venues like Fitzroy Crossing. The court issues Family Violence Restraining Orders and Violence Restraining Orders under the Restraining Orders Act 1997 (WA), and also deals with matters such as extraordinary driver's licence applications and dividing fence disputes. For anyone trying to make sense of a daily list, common terms include mention, which is a brief procedural appearance where a future date is set, committal, sentence and bail application. Understanding these terms makes it far easier to locate your name and matter type on the published list.

Court sitting arrangements and how they can change

Because Fitzroy Crossing is a circuit location rather than a permanent daily registry, sitting dates are scheduled in advance and can be affected by regional operational decisions. In 2026 the WA Chief Justice issued a public notice temporarily suspending criminal sittings at more than 20 remote courthouses, including Fitzroy Crossing, Tom Price, Newman and Laverton, due to security and staffing pressures. Under those arrangements, affected criminal matters were redirected to larger regional courts, while family violence restraining order processes continued to be handled through registry channels. Major regional courts such as Broome, Karratha, Geraldton, Bunbury, Busselton, Albany and Kalgoorlie were not affected.

Arrangements like these are described by the court as temporary and remain in place only for as long as needed to keep court users safe. The practical takeaway is simple. If you have a matter listed at Fitzroy Crossing, always confirm the sitting is proceeding before you travel, because your appearance may have been moved to another courthouse or rescheduled. You can check the current daily lists and confirm your matter by reviewing the WA court list today for the latest scheduled sittings across the state.

Getting to court and what to bring

The courthouse is located at the corner of Fallon Road and McLarty Road, Fitzroy Crossing WA 6765, next to the police station. On site car parking is available. Given the remoteness of the region, many people travel long distances from surrounding communities to attend, so it is worth planning your journey around the wet season, when road access across the Kimberley can be disrupted by flooding of the Fitzroy River and its tributaries.

• Arrive early and allow time to find your matter on the published list.
• Bring any paperwork, bail documents or charge sheets that relate to your matter.
• If you have a lawyer or a duty lawyer, confirm where and when to meet them before court starts.
• Dress respectfully and turn your phone to silent inside the courtroom.
• If you cannot attend, contact the registry as early as possible rather than simply not appearing.

Legal support in the region is often provided through Legal Aid WA and the Aboriginal Legal Service of Western Australia, both of which offer duty lawyer assistance at circuit courts. Seeking advice early, rather than on the morning of your hearing, generally leads to better outcomes and fewer adjournments.

Where Fitzroy Crossing fits in the Kimberley court network

Fitzroy Crossing is one node in a large circuit network across the Kimberley. Nearby venues include Derby, Broome, Kununurra, Halls Creek and Wyndham, along with remote community sittings at locations such as Balgo, Bidyadanga, Kalumburu, Looma and Warmun. District Court and Supreme Court circuit sittings for the region are generally held at Broome, Kununurra and Derby, so more serious matters committed for trial from Fitzroy Crossing typically move to one of those larger centres. If your matter has been redirected, the Broome Magistrates Court list and the Derby court listings are the two most common destinations for West Kimberley criminal matters.

The Magistrates Court of Western Australia operates from more than 60 venues statewide, which makes it the most geographically widespread court system in the country. Fitzroy Crossing represents the pointy end of that reach, delivering justice services to a remote and predominantly Aboriginal community that would otherwise face enormous travel distances to have matters heard. The 2015 investment in a modern, culturally appropriate facility was explicitly intended to support justice operations in the region beyond the next 25 years.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Fitzroy Crossing Magistrates Court open every day?

No. It is a circuit court, so it only sits on scheduled dates when a magistrate travels to the town. It does not operate daily like a metropolitan registry, and sitting frequency can change based on regional arrangements.

Where is the Fitzroy Crossing courthouse located?

It is on the corner of Fallon Road and McLarty Road, Fitzroy Crossing WA 6765, next to the Fitzroy Crossing Police Station, and can be contacted on (08) 9192 1137.

What happens if my matter is redirected to another court?

When criminal sittings are suspended, matters are usually transferred to a larger regional court such as Broome or Derby. Always confirm your listing before travelling, because your date and location may have changed.

What types of cases are heard here?

The court hears summary criminal offences, bail and committal matters, civil claims up to $75,000, and restraining order applications including Family Violence Restraining Orders.

How can I check the Fitzroy Crossing court list?

Review the daily WA court lists to confirm the venue, date and your matter type, and contact the Magistrates Court registry if you are unsure whether a scheduled sitting is going ahead.