LOCAL COURT ACT 2015

Table of Provisions

• Long Title

PART 1--PRELIMINARY MATTERS

• 1 Short title  
• 2 Commencement  
• 3 Definitions  

PART 2--LOCAL COURT

• 4 Court established  
• 5 Status of Court  
• 6 Constitution of Court  
• 7 Changes in constitution of Court during proceedings  
• 8 Independence of Court  

PART 3--JURISDICTION OF THE COURT

Division 1--Jurisdiction generally

• 9 Jurisdiction of the Court  
• 10 Court may exercise all jurisdiction at same time  
• 11 Jurisdiction concurrent with Supreme Court  

Division 2--Civil jurisdiction

• 12 Civil jurisdiction – jurisdictional limit  
• 13 General civil jurisdiction  
• 13A Jurisdiction in small claims matters  
• 14 Civil jurisdiction under other laws  
• 15 Remedies that may be granted  
• 16 Jurisdiction not limited to matters entirely within Territory  
• 17 Concurrent administration of law and equity  

Division 3--Criminal jurisdiction

• 18 General criminal jurisdiction  
• 19 Criminal jurisdiction under other laws  

PART 4--ADMINISTRATION OF THE COURT

Division 1--Administration generally

• 20 Chief Judge responsible  
• 21 Divisions of Court  
• 22 Assigning duties to judicial officers  
• 23 Hours of work  
• 24 Where and when Court may sit  
• 25 Registries  
• 26 Court seal  
• 26A Court may issue or transmit court documents electronically  

Division 2--Court records and exhibits

• 27 Court records  
• 28 Case files  
• 29 Access to case files  
• 30 Access to judgments and orders  
• 31 Access to exhibits  
• 31A Access to any other Court records  
• 31B Access to persons other than parties  
• 32 Fees  
• 33 Principal registrar to provide copies  
• 33A Transcripts required for certain proceedings  
• 34 Other Acts may limit access to court records and exhibits  

Division 3--Court procedure

• 35 Procedure generally  
• 36 Court to be open to public  
• 37 Orders to exclude persons from courtroom  
• 38 Presence of parties and representatives  
• 39 Refusal of documents if abuse of process  
• 40 Making of judgments and orders  
• 41 Issuing of process  
• 42 Correction of errors  
• 43 Entry for purpose of inspection  
• 44 Party entitled to appear in person or by counsel  
• 44A Transfer of proceedings to Tribunal  

Division 4--Contempt

• 45 Contempt of Court  
• 46 Dealing with contempt of Court  
• 47 Punishment for contempt  

Division 5--Rules and directions

• 48 Rules of court  
• 49 Practice directions  

PART 5--JUDGES OF THE LOCAL COURT

Division 1--Chief Judge, Deputy Chief Judges and Judges

• 50 Judicial offices  
• 51 Functions of Judges  
• 52 Powers of Judges  
Subdivision 2--Appointment, terms of office etc.
• 53 Appointment  
• 54 Full-time or part-time appointment  
• 55 Salary, allowances and benefits  
• 56 Vacation of office  
• 57 Termination of appointment of Judge  
• 58 Completion of pending proceedings  
• 59 Acting Chief Judge  
• 59A Acting Deputy Chief Judge  

Division 2--Acting Judges

• 60 Appointment  
• 61 Functions and powers of acting Judge  
• 62 Conditions of appointment  
• 63 Vacation of office  
• 64 Completion of pending proceedings  

Division 3--General matters

• 65 Oath of office  
• 66 Prohibition of other work  
• 67 Acts done by Judge outside the Territory  
• 67A Validity of acts  

PART 6--OTHER COURT OFFICERS

Division 1--Judicial registrars

• 68 Appointment of judicial registrars  
• 69 Functions of judicial registrars  
• 70 Powers of judicial registrars  
• 70A Review of decision of judicial registrar  

Division 2--Principal registrar and other registrars

• 71 Principal registrar and registrars  
• 72 Functions of registrars  
• 73 Powers of registrars  
• 74 Delegation of jurisdiction to registrars  
• 75 Review of decision of registrar in exercise of delegated jurisdiction  

Division 3--BailiffsNote for Division

• 76 Bailiffs  
• 77 Functions of bailiff  
• 78 Powers of bailiff  

Division 4--Interstate or overseas arrangements

• 79 Out-of-Territory registrars  
• 80 Registrars may hold appointments for other jurisdictions  

PART 7--MISCELLANEOUS

• 81 Regulations  

PART 7A--VALIDATION

• 81A Appointments to Court  
• 81B Validation of certain judicial appointments  
• 81C Validation of acts performed  

PART 8--REPEALS AND TRANSITIONAL MATTERS FOR LOCAL COURT ACT 2015

Division 1--Repeals

• 82 Laws repealed  

Division 2--Transitional matters

• 83 Definitions  
• 84 New Local Court is a continuation of old Courts  
• 85 Office holders  
• 86 Ongoing proceedings  
• 87 Judgments, orders and process  
• 88 Continuation of things done by Magistrates  
• 89 Regulations, Rules and practice directions  
• 90 Directions to judicial officers  
• 91 Approval of places to sit  
• 92 Contempt  
• 93 Prerogative writs in civil proceedings  
• 94 References to repealed Acts  

PART 9--TRANSITIONAL MATTERS FOR JUSTICE LEGISLATION AMENDMENT (SMALL CLAIMS AND OTHER MATTERS) ACT 2016

• 95 Application of section 44A  

PART 10--TRANSITIONAL MATTERS FOR JUSTICE AND OTHER LEGISLATION AMENDMENT ACT 2021

• 96 Appeal of registrar's decisions  
• SCHEDULE 1
• SCHEDULE 2
ENDNOTES