Help at court

We have lawyers on ‘duty’ at many courts and tribunals across Victoria. Our duty lawyers can help if you are at court for a hearing, but do not have a lawyer. Where you can find our duty lawyers.

This is a free service, but not everyone is eligible. The service may also not be available every day. It's best to speak to us before you go to court.

Call us on 1300 792 387, Monday to Friday, from 8 am to 6 pm.

Watch our videos on getting free legal help at court

Who can see a duty lawyer at court

Duty lawyers help people who:

• can’t afford a private lawyer
• are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
• have a cognitive disability, an acquired brain injury or mental illness
• are in a psychiatric in-patient unit with a Mental Health Tribunal hearing
• are experiencing or at risk of homelessness
• are a child or young person going to the Children’s Court
• can’t speak, read or write well in English
• are at court for a family violence matter or are at risk of family violence
• are in custody or facing a serious penalty.

A serious penalty is where there is a real risk that a person will:

• go to jail
• be put on a community corrections order
• get a substantial fine.

The penalty can depend on your criminal record.

How our duty lawyers can help you

Depending on your circumstances, we may be able to:

• give you information – for some matters we can provide printed information about specific offences and what happens in court
• give you legal advice – about the law and what happens in court. This may include negotiations with the prosecution
• represent you in court that day
• arrange for a legal aid lawyer to run your case – we may be able to adjourn your court hearing so that you can get a lawyer to run your case.

If you are an adult at the Magistrates' Court for a criminal matter, getting advice or representation will depend on your income.

Legal problems we can help with

Children’s Court

At the Children’s Court, we can help you with:

• criminal law matters
• child protection applications
• family violence and personal safety intervention orders.

Magistrates’ Court

At the Magistrates’ Court, we can help you with:

• adult criminal law matters
• serious traffic matters
• family violence matters and intervention orders
• some infringement matters (if you have special circumstances).

Mental Health Tribunal

At the Mental Health Tribunal (the in-patient units where the hearings are held), we can help you with compulsory involuntary treatment orders.

Federal Circuit and Family Court

We can help you with:

• family law matters
• child support
• some immigration matters.

Our Family Advocacy and Support Services are now also available at the Melbourne and Dandenong Family Law Registries.

This new and enhanced service combines specialist legal advice, risk screening, safety planning, social support and referrals for people who have experienced, used or are alleged to have used family violence.

Read about our Family Advocacy and Support Services.

Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal

At the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal we can help you with:

• guardianship and administration matters
• residential tenancy matters (tenants only)
• anti-discrimination matters
• some civil claims matters.

Administrative Review Tribunal

At the Administrative Review Tribunal we can help you with:

• Veterans' Affairs matters
• social security matters
• some immigration matters.

How to see a duty lawyer

Before you go to court, contact us to find out if you can see a duty lawyer or how we can help you with your legal problem.

If a duty lawyer can see you, it is best to turn up at the court or tribunal when it opens, as it may be busy and you may have to wait.

When you get to court, ask the court staff if there is a lawyer on duty. If there is, the court staff can tell you what you need to do to see the lawyer.

If you need an interpreter, the court will organise one for you. It is best to let the court know you need an interpreter before your hearing. If you haven’t done this, tell the court staff as soon as you get to court.

Preparing to go to court

To help you understand your legal options it is best to get legal advice before going to court.

Before going to court you should also:

• collect and bring the paperwork you have about your matter – for example, your charge and summons, police brief, court documents, letters or fines, character references, medical reports
• let the court know if you need an interpreter or other assistance
• ask a friend or family member to go with you for support if you want.

Plan to keep the whole day free. Even if your case is listed at 9.30 am, you may have to wait a few hours.

Also plan how you are getting to court. Parking near courts can be expensive. It might be better to use public transport or get someone to drop you off.

You should not drive to court if you are facing charges where you might lose your licence. If you are found guilty, your licence may be cancelled immediately. For more information, read Possible outcomes for traffic offences.

A map of our duty lawyer locations

View our Duty Lawyer Service locations in a large map or see our list of regional locations.

Map icon for our Duty Lawyer Service locations

A list of our duty lawyer locations

• Eastern metropolitan region
• Northern and Western metropolitan region
• Southern metropolitan region
• Barwon–South Western region
• Gippsland region
• Grampians region
• Hume region
• Loddon Mallee region

Eastern metropolitan region

Ringwood Children's and Magistrates' courts

39 Ringwood Street
RINGWOOD VIC 3134
Get directions

Northern and Western metropolitan region

Broadmeadows Children's and Magistrates' courts

Corner Pearcedale Parade and Dimboola Road

BROADMEADOWS VIC 3047

Directions to Broadmeadows Children's and Magistrates' courts

Koori Court Broadmeadows

Corner Pearcedale Parade and Dimboola Road

BROADMEADOWS VIC 3047

Directions to Koori Court Broadmeadows

Neighbourhood Justice Centre

Level 2, 241 Wellington Street

COLLINGWOOD VIC 3066

Directions to Neighbourhood Justice Centre

Heidelberg Children's and Magistrates' courts

Jika Street

HEIDELBERG VIC 3084

Directions to Heidelberg Children's and Magistrates' courts

Melbourne Children's Court

477 Little Lonsdale Street

MELBOURNE VIC 3000

Directions to Melbourne Children's Court

Melbourne Magistrates' Court

233 William Street

MELBOURNE VIC 3000

Directions Melbourne Magistrates' Court

Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT)

55 King Street

MELBOURNE VIC 3000

Directions to VCAT s

Family Court of Australia – Melbourne

Owen Dixon Commonwealth Law Courts Building

305 William Street

MELBOURNE VIC 3000

Directions to Family Court of Australia – Melbourne

Federal Circuit Court – Melbourne

Owen Dixon Commonwealth Law Courts Building

305 William Street

MELBOURNE VIC 3000

Directions to Federal Circuit Court – Melbourne

State Coroner's Office of Victoria

57–83 Kavanagh Street

SOUTHBANK VIC 3006

Directions to State Coroner's Office of Victoria

Sunshine Children's and Magistrates' courts

10 Foundry Road

SUNSHINE VIC 3020

Directions to Sunshine Children's and Magistrates' courts

Werribee Children's and Magistrates' courts

Corner Duncans Road and Salisbury Street

WERRIBEE VIC 3030

Directions to Werribee Children's and Magistrates' courts

Wyndham Magistrates’ Court, Children’s Court and Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT)

17 Basalt Road

WERRIBEE VIC 3030

Directions to Wyndham Magistrates’ and Children’s Courts and VCAT

Southern metropolitan region

Dandenong Children’s and Magistrates' courts

Corner Foster and Pultney streets

DANDENONG, VIC 3175

Directions to Dandenong Children’s and Magistrates' courts

Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia – Dandenong

55 Robinson Street

DANDENONG VIC 3175

Directions to Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia – Dandenong

Dromana Magistrates' Court

Codrington Street

DROMANA VIC 3936

Directions to Dromana Magistrates' Court

Frankston Children's and Magistrates' courts

15 Fletcher Road

FRANKSTON VIC 3199

Directions to Frankston Children's and Magistrates' courts

Moorabbin Justice Centre

1140 Nepean Highway

HIGHETT VIC 3190

Directions to Moorabbin Justice Centre

Barwon–South Western region

Colac Children's and Magistrates' courts

Queen Street

COLAC VIC 3250

Directions to Colac Children's and Magistrates' courts

Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia – Geelong

Railway Terrace

GEELONG VIC 3220

Directions to Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia – Geelong

Geelong Children's and Magistrates' courts

Railway Terrace

GEELONG VIC 3220

Directions to Geelong Children's and Magistrates' courts

Hamilton Children's and Magistrates' courts

Martin Street

HAMILTON VIC 3300

Directions to Hamilton Children's and Magistrates' courts

Portland Children's and Magistrates' courts

67 Cliff Street

PORTLAND VIC 3305

Directions to Portland Children's and Magistrates' courts

Warrnambool Children's and Magistrates' courts

218 Koroit Street

WARRNAMBOOL VIC 3280

Directions to Warrnambool Children's and Magistrates' courts

Federal Circuit Court – Warrnambool

218 Koroit Street

WARRNAMBOOL VIC 3280

Directions to Federal Circuit Court – Warrnambool

Gippsland region

Bairnsdale Children's, County and Magistrates' courts

Nicholson Street

BAIRNSDALE VIC 3875

Directions to Bairnsdale Children's, County and Magistrates' courts

Korumburra Magistrates' Court

Bridge Street

KORUMBURRA VIC 3950

Directions to Korumburra Magistrates' Court

Latrobe Valley (Morwell) Children's, County and Magistrates' courts

Latrobe Valley Law Courts

134 Commercial Road

MORWELL VIC 3840

Directions to Latrobe Valley (Morwell) Children's, County and Magistrates' courts

Omeo Children's and Magistrates' courts

Shire Office, Main Street

OMEO VIC 3898

Directions to Omeo Children's and Magistrates' courts

Orbost Magistrates' Court

Corner Wolseley and Browning streets

ORBOST VIC 3888

Directions to Orbost Magistrates' Court

Sale Children's, County and Magistrates' courts

Foster Street (Princess Highway)

SALE VIC 3850

Directions to Sale Children's, County and Magistrates' courts

Wonthaggi Magistrates' Court

Watt Street

WONTHAGGI VIC 3995

Directions to Wonthaggi Magistrates' Court

Grampians region

Ararat Children's and Magistrates' courts

Corner Barkly and Ingor streets

ARARAT VIC 3377

Directions to Ararat Children's and Magistrates' courts

Bacchus Marsh Children's and Magistrates' courts

121 Main Street

BACCHUS MARSH VIC 3340

Directions to Bacchus Marsh Children's and Magistrates' courts

Edenhope Magistrates' Court

Shire Offices, West Wimmera Shire Council

49 Elizabeth Street

EDENHOPE VIC 3318

Directions to Edenhope Magistrates' Court

Hopetoun Children's and Magistrates' courts

Shire Offices, Shire of Karkarooc

75 Lascelles Street

HOPETOUN VIC 3396

Directions to Hopetoun Children's and Magistrates' courts

Ballarat Children's and Magistrates' courts

100 Grenville Street

SOUTH BALLARAT VIC 3350

Directions to Ballarat Children's and Magistrates' courts

Horsham Children's and Magistrates' courts

Roberts Avenue

HORSHAM VIC 3400

Directions to Horsham Children's and Magistrates' courts

Nhill Children's and Magistrates' courts

110 MacPherson Street

NHILL VIC 3418

Directions to Nhill Children's and Magistrates' courts

Stawell Children's and Magistrates' courts

Patrick Street

STAWELL VIC 3380

Directions to Stawell Children's and Magistrates' courts

St Arnaud Children's and Magistrates' courts

Napier Street

ST ARNAUD VIC 3478

Directions to St Arnaud Children's and Magistrates' courts

Maryborough Children's and Magistrates' courts

Clarendon Street

MARYBOROUGH VIC 3467

Directions to Maryborough Children's and Magistrates' courts

Hume region

Benalla Children's and Magistrates' courts

Bridge Street

BENALLA VIC 3672

Directions to Benalla Children's and Magistrates' courts

Cobram Children's and Magistrates' courts

Corner Punt Road and High Street

COBRAM VIC 3644

Directions to Cobram Children's and Magistrates' courts

Corryong Children's and Magistrates' courts

Jardine Street

CORRYONG VIC 3707

Directions to Corryong Children's and Magistrates' courts

Mansfield Children's and Magistrates' courts

Corner High and Highett streets

MANSFIELD VIC 3722

Directions to Mansfield Children's and Magistrates' courts

Shepparton Children's and Magistrates' courts

High Street

SHEPPARTON VIC 3630

Directions to Shepparton Children's and Magistrates' courts

Wangaratta Children's and Magistrates' courts

Faithfull Street

WANGARATTA VIC 3677

Directions to Wangaratta Children's and Magistrates' courts

Wodonga Children's and Magistrates' courts

5 Elgin Boulevard

WODONGA VIC 3690

Directions to Wodonga Children's and Magistrates' courts

Myrtleford Children's and Magistrates' courts

Myrtle Street

MYRTLEFORD VIC 3737

Directions to Myrtleford Children's and Magistrates' courts

Seymour Children's and Magistrates' courts

Tallarook Street

SEYMOUR VIC 3660

Directions to Seymour Children's and Magistrates' courts

Loddon Mallee region

Bendigo Children's and Magistrates' courts

71 Pall Mall

BENDIGO VIC 3550

Directions to Bendigo Children's and Magistrates' courts

Castlemaine Magistrates' Court

Lyttleton Street

CASTLEMAINE VIC 3450

Directions to Castlemaine Magistrates' Court

Echuca Children's and Magistrates' courts

Heygarth Street

ECHUCA VIC 3564

Directions to Echuca Children's and Magistrates' courts

Federal Circuit Court – Bendigo

71 Pall Mall

BENDIGO VIC 3550

Directions to Federal Circuit Court – Bendigo

Kerang Children's and Magistrates' courts

Victoria Street

KERANG VIC 3579

Directions to Kerang Children's and Magistrates' courts

Kyneton Children's and Magistrates' courts

Hutton Street

KYNETON VIC 3444

Directions to Kyneton Children's and Magistrates' courts

Mildura Magistrates' Court

56 Deakin Avenue

MILDURA VIC 3500

Directions to Mildura Magistrates' Court

Ouyen Children’s and Magistrates’ courts

Shire Offices

Oke Street

OUYEN VIC 3490

Directions to Ouyen Children’s and Magistrates’ courts

Robinvale Magistrates' Court

George Street

ROBINVALE VIC 3549

Directions to Robinvale Magistrates' Court

Swan Hill Children's and Magistrates' courts

Curlewis Street

SWAN HILL VIC 3585

Directions to Swan Hill Children's and Magistrates' courts