VICIn ForceAct
Magistrates' Court Act 1989
4GSentencing procedure in Koori Court Division 31
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4G Sentencing procedure in Koori Court Division 31
4IA Establishment of Specialist Family Violence Court Division 33
4IB Jurisdiction of Specialist Family Violence Court Division 34
4J Adjournment to seek legal advice 36
4K Alternative arrangements for giving evidence 37
4L Restriction on children being called as witnesses or present in court 39
4M Establishment of Neighbourhood Justice Division 40
4N Places where Neighbourhood Justice Division may sit and act 41
4O Jurisdiction of Neighbourhood Justice Division 42
4P Transfer of proceedings 45
4Q Sentencing procedure in Neighbourhood Justice Division 45
4R Sexual Offences List 47
4S Assessment and Referral Court List 47
4T Eligibility criteria 50
4U Specific powers of the Assessment and Referral Court List 51
4V Adjournment of proceeding in Assessment and Referral Court List 52
4W Other adjournment powers not limited 53
4X Transfer of proceedings to and from Assessment and Referral Court List 53
4Y Completion of, and participation in, individual support plan 54
5 Where and when Court to be held 55
5A Mention courts 55
6 Magistrate to be in attendance 56
7 Appointment of magistrates 56
7A Entry into part-time service arrangement 59
7B Variation of part-time service arrangement 60
7C Suspension of part-time service arrangement 61
7D Termination of part-time service arrangement 61
8 Appointment of Acting Chief Magistrate 61
9A Appointment of reserve magistrates 63
9B Cessation of office 64
9C Chief Magistrate may engage reserve magistrate to undertake duties of a magistrate 64
9D Pension rights and service of Chief Magistrate not affected by being a reserve magistrate 65
9E Powers, jurisdiction, immunities and protection of reserve magistrate 65
9EA Power to complete matters—magistrates and reserve magistrates 65
9F Engaging in legal practice or other paid employment 68
10 Salaries, superannuation contributions, allowances and other conditions of service 68
10A Pension of Chief Magistrate 70
12 Vacation of office 75
12A Administrative responsibility of Chief Magistrate 75
13 Assignment of duties 76
13A Delegation by the Chief Magistrate 76
13B Professional development and training 76
14 Protection of magistrates 77
15 Council of magistrates 77
16 Rules of Court 78
16A Practice notes 88
16AB Constitution of Court if magistrate unable to continue and constitution of Court in certain circumstances 88
Part 2A—Judicial registrars 90
16B Guidelines relating to the appointment of judicial registrars 90
16C Appointment of judicial registrars 90
16D Terms and conditions of appointment 92
16DB Oath or affirmation of office 93
16E Resignation from office 94
16I Rules of Court 94
16J Performance of duties by judicial registrar 95
16K Appeal from or review of determination of Court constituted by judicial registrar 96
Part 3—Officers of the Court 98
17 Employment of principal registrar, registrars and deputy registrars 98
17A Appointment of Aboriginal elders or respected persons 99
18 Register 99
19 Offence to publish certain information concerning proceedings 100
19A Recording of proceedings 100
20 Process 100
21 Powers of registrar 101
22 Fees 103
23 Extortion by and impersonation of court officials 103
24 Protection of registrars 104
Part 4—Warrants and criminal proceedings 105
Division 1—Jurisdiction 105
25 Extent of jurisdiction 105
Division 2—Procedure 109
29 Magistrate may exercise registrar's powers 109
43 Witness summonses 112
44 Production before date for attendance 114
45 Attendance of witnesses on adjournment 115
50 Power to amend where there is a defect or error 117
Division 3—Warrants 119
Subdivision 1—General 119
57 Warrants 119
57A Warrants to arrest issued under Evidence Act 2008 121
58 Recall and cancellation of warrant 122
59 Duplicate warrants 123
60 Effect of defect or error in certain warrants 124
Subdivision 2—Warrant to arrest 125
61 Issue of warrant to arrest 125
62 Endorsing a warrant for bail 126
63 Persons to whom warrant to arrest may be directed 127
64 Authority conferred by warrant to arrest 128
65 Arrest of person against whom warrant to arrest is issued 129
Subdivision 3—Warrant to imprison 131
68 Issue of warrant to imprison 131
69 Persons to whom warrant to imprison may be directed 132
70 Directions in, and authority of, warrant to imprison 134
71 Reduction of imprisonment by payment of portion of fine 135
72 Provisions extend to detention in youth justice centre 137
Subdivision 4—Warrant to seize property 137
73 Warrant to seize property 137
74 Authority conferred by warrant to seize property 139
Subdivision 5—Search warrants 140
75 Search warrants 140
76 Persons to whom search warrant may be directed 140
77 Endorsing a warrant for bail 141
78 Authority conferred by search warrant 141
Subdivision 6—Remand warrants 143
79 Remand warrants 143
80 Persons to whom remand warrant may be directed 144
81 Directions in, and authority of, remand warrant 145
82 Remand of more than 8 clear days 146
Subdivision 8—Special powers of the sheriff in executing warrants 147
82I Power to assist police at road checks 148
Division 6—Enforcement 149
Subdivision 1—Ordinary enforcement provisions 149
97 Imprisonment in default of payment of fine 149
98 Enforcement of fines against corporations 150
Subdivision 2—Procedure for enforcement of infringement penalties under the Fines Reform Act 2014 154
99 Infringement offence enforcement procedure under the Fines Reform Act 2014 154
99A Certain agencies may give information for enforcement purposes 154
Part 5—Civil proceedings 156
Division 1—Jurisdiction 156
100 Extent of jurisdiction 156
101 Proceedings beyond jurisdiction 159
Division 1A—Administration of children's funds 159
101A Court orders relating to administration of children's funds 159
Division 1B—Transfer and payment of money to the Supreme Court for person under disability 161
101B Money held in court for person under disability 161
Division 2—Arbitration 162
102 Arbitration for small claims 162
103 Conduct of arbitration 164
104 Award 165
105 Costs 165
106 Commercial Arbitration Act not to apply 166
106A Interaction with Civil Procedure Act 2010 166
Division 3—Pre-hearing conferences 166
107 Pre-hearing conferences 166
107A Interaction with Civil Procedure Act 2010 167
Division 3A—Mediation 167
108 Power to refer proceedings to mediation 167
108A Protection of mediators 167
Division 4—Appeals and re-hearings 168
109 Appeal to Supreme Court from final order made in civil proceeding 168
110 Re-hearing 169
110A Appeals from Court constituted by Chief Magistrate who is a dual commission holder 170
Division 5—Enforcement 170
111 Enforcement of orders 170
112 Certificate for Supreme Court 174
113 Application of Imprisonment of Fraudulent Debtors Act 175
114 Enforcement by executors and administrators 175
Part 7—Miscellaneous 178
125 Business to be conducted in open court 178
125A Court may determine matter or proceeding without oral hearing 178
126A Power to bind over to keep the peace 179
127 Witness order 180
128 Power to adjourn proceeding 181
131 Costs to be in the discretion of the Court 183
131A Costs may be determined by Costs Court 184
132 Costs liability of legal practitioner 184
133 Contempt in face of the Court 186
134 Contempt of court 187
135 Enforcement of orders not for the payment of money 190
136 Directions 191
136A Court may issue or transmit court documents electronically 191
137 Forfeitures may be sold 192
138 Investment of trust money 193
139 Manner of service where none is prescribed 193
139A Supreme Court—limitation of jurisdiction 194
140 Regulations 195
141 Definitions 202
142 Rights, duties and liabilities declared in certain cases 202
143 Effect of declared rights, duties and liabilities 203
144 Protection of affected persons 203
Part 8—Savings and transitionals 205
150 Savings and transitionals 205
Schedules 207