Court Services Queensland is encouraging all parties to avoid attending Queensland courthouses in person if possible.
Parties may apply to utilise remote appearance options such as phone, audio visual link or PEXIP. If a prisoner is scheduled to appear in person at the courthouse, please reconsider if in-person appearance is necessary, as the prisoner will need to isolate if they return to the correctional centre.
Amended COVID practice directions for Supreme, District, Land and Magistrates Courts require all entrants to court buildings to wear a face mask except when speaking in court:
Supreme Court Practice Direction 24 of 2021
District Court Practice Direction 12 of 2021
Land Court Practice Direction 3 of 2021
Magistrates Court Practice Direction 5 of 2021 (PDF, 45.4 KB)
Childrens Court (Magistrates Courts) Practice Direction 6 of 2021 (PDF, 51.9 KB)
Magistrates Courts
If a legal representative in a criminal proceeding is seeking an adjournment, they are strongly encouraged to apply online through the Online Application for a Court Event form on the Queensland Courts website. Registries are experiencing a high volume of email and phone traffic, and the online form is the most efficient way to apply for an adjournment.
As of 4 January 2022, the Chief Magistrate has temporarily removed the requirement to apply at least two clear business days in advance of the court date.
Supreme, District and Lands Courts
Sentences in both the District Court and Supreme Court involving prisoners in custody will be done by videolink until further notice.
Mentions in the District Court will be done by video/phone.
For civil matters in the Supreme Court, practitioners are asked to contact the associate to the judge sitting in applications in the relevant week with any requests to appear remotely. Scheduled jury trials will continue, utilising two court rooms.
Please refer to the information relevant for each court at COVID-19 response on the Queensland Courts website.
More detail on restrictions and requirements is available from Queensland Health.
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