Court Sittings and Building Opening Hours High Court sittings are open to the public. Normal Court sitting hours are from 10.00 am to 12.45 pm and 2.15 pm to 4.15 pm. The building is open to the public from 9.45 am to 4.30 pm Monday through Friday, except public holidays, and Sundays from midday to 4.00 pm.
The subject matter of the cases heard by the Court traverses the whole range of Australian law. It includes, for instance, arbitration, contract, company law, copyright, courts-martial, criminal law and procedure, tax law, insurance, personal injury, property law, family law, trade practices, etc.
For Registry services and support please contact us by email at [email protected].
Most of the Court's work relates to the hearing of appeals against decisions of other courts. There is no automatic right to have an appeal heard by the High Court and parties who wish to appeal must persuade the Court in a preliminary hearing that there are special reasons to cause the appeal to be heard.
Appropriate attire
There is an expectation for men to always wear a jacket and a tie when they appear in court. On occasion, when the weather is hot, a Magistrate may give leave for jackets to be removed. Women are expected to attend court wearing the equivalent of office attire.
Avoid bright colors and loud prints. Seek dark, neutral colors like navy blue, black, and gray. If you would wear something to an interview for a professional position, you are probably safe wearing it to court. If you are ever unsure about a piece, talk to your attorney about it to get his or her opinion.
The best colour to wear to court is one that is conservative and unassuming. Typically, dark colours such as navy blue, charcoal grey, or black are considered appropriate for court appearances.
Admission to the High Court building is free of charge.
The High Court is at the top of the hierarchy of federal courts. It is also at the top of the hierarchy of state courts, because decisions of state Supreme Courts may be able to be appealed to the High Court.
The High Court has the power to consider federal – national – laws and decide whether the Constitution gives the Australian Parliament the power to make that law. The High Court can invalidate – cancel – any law or a part of a law it finds to be unconstitutional.
In court, parties/legal practitioners refer to the judge as 'Your Honour'. 'Yes, your Honour. ' To refer to a judge who is not present in the courtroom you can refer to them as Justice Smith OR His or Her Honour BUT NOT His or Her Honour Justice Smith.
“The judicial power of the Commonwealth shall be vested in a federal Supreme Court, to be called the High Court of Australia.”
Its bench is composed of seven justices, including a Chief Justice, currently Susan Kiefel. Justices of the High Court are appointed by the Governor-General on the advice of the Prime Minister and are appointed permanently until their mandatory retirement at age 70, unless they retire earlier.
The Supreme Court is the highest state court in New South Wales. It holds unlimited jurisdiction over all civil matters and typically handles serious criminal matters such as murder and treason. The Supreme Court may also hear appeals from the Lower Court and District Court of NSW.
All hearings of the Court are open to the public. The Court also provides online access to a wide range of case-specific information.
The High Court of Australia is composed of seven Justices: the Chief Justice of Australia and six other Justices. There have been 56 Justices who have served as Justices of the High Court since its formation under the Judiciary Act 1903.
To go above the Supreme Court, a case must go to the High Court of Australia, the ultimate court from which there is no appeal. Appeals from this court may only proceed to the High Court if the High Court grants special leave to appeal. Decisions of the High Court of Australia are binding on all Australian courts.
As the highest court in Australia, the role of the High Court is to interpret and to enforce the Commonwealth Constitution, to develop a coherent body of common law for application across Australia, and generally to supervise the administration of justice in the courts.
Parliament's law-making power takes precedence over that of the Judiciary; statute laws made by Parliament override judge-made law—common law. This is called parliamentary supremacy.
In most matters in the Federal Court, the unsuccessful party is ordered to pay part of the legal costs of the successful party. The amounts involved can be many thousands of dollars, sometimes tens of thousands. Costs orders are enforceable.
Conservative dress – something you would wear to church, work or a nice social function. (If you wear a uniform to work, it is usually OK to wear it to court unless you wear shorts to work.) Wear clothes that fit. If you have gained or lost a lot of weight, please buy something new for your courtroom appearance.
If you're a fan of rock music, you can't go wrong with a classic concert outfit. Start with a graphic t-shirt featuring your favorite band and pair it with black skinny jeans and combat boots for an edgy look. Add a leather jacket or denim vest for an extra touch of cool.
There is no specific dress code, however normally people dress formally e.g. as you would to a job interview.