NSW courts and tribunals

Duty lawyers are available at all local courts in NSW for criminal law matters, Centrelink charges and driving and traffic offences where there is a real risk of imprisonment. They cannot help you if you have pleaded not guilty and your matter is listed for hearing that day. If possible it is best to get legal advice before you go to court. Find your local Legal Aid NSW office near you. Call our Youth Hotline on 1800 10 18 10 for advice if you are under 18 and have committed, or are suspected of committing, a criminal offence.

Duty lawyers are available at some NSW local courts for family law and child support. Contact your local Legal Aid NSW office to find out if this service is available.

A duty lawyer is always available for care and protection matters. Even if they are not present at the court, court staff will contact Legal Aid NSW or a private lawyer if you request assistance.

• Women's Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Service staff are available at many courts in NSW to assist women applying for apprehended domestic violence orders. They cannot provide legal advice.
  
  
• The Domestic Violence Unit or the Domestic Violence Practitioner Scheme lawyers, based in a number of local courts across NSW, give free advice to women experiencing domestic violence (including police clients) on ADVOs, family law, care and protection and victim’s support.
  
  
• The Apprehended Violence Order Duty Representation service at Mt Druitt Local Court provides advice and assistance to defendants, who would otherwise have to represent themselves in domestic violence proceedings. It helps defendants achieve workable orders.

There are duty lawyers at Surry Hills, Campbelltown, Parramatta, Broadmeadow and Port Kembla Children’s Courts. At other locations in NSW, the local court sits as the children’s court. The duty lawyer at those courts will assist children and juveniles. The Legal Aid NSW Children's Legal Service provides representation at these courts.

A duty lawyer is always available for care and protection matters. Even if they are not present at the court, court staff will contact Legal Aid NSW or a private lawyer if you request assistance.

The Children’s Court Assistance Scheme provides trained youth workers in Children’s Court criminal matters to assist young people and their families when going to court.

The Court’s family law jurisdiction includes applications for divorce, proof of divorce, applications for spousal maintenance, property and financial disputes, parenting orders, enforcement of orders, location and recovery orders, warrants for the apprehension or detention of a child, and determination of parentage.

Lawyers at the Family Law Courts in Parramatta, Sydney and Newcastle provide advice and assistance with procedure for family law matters including children’s matters (live with, spend time with and specific issues), child support and property. Contact your local Legal Aid NSW office to find out if duty lawyers are available for Federal Circuit Court circuits.

For more information, see Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia

The Court can review some decisions made under the Migration Act 1958. These include some decisions of the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs, the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, and the Immigration Assessment Authority. The Court can only review a decision in order to determine if a ‘jurisdictional error’ has been made.

A Legal Aid lawyer may be able to assist you with refugee law or other immigration matters if you are eligible for legal aid. For more information, contact the Immigration Service.

The Court’s general federal law jurisdiction includes administrative law, admiralty law, bankruptcy, consumer law (formerly trade practices), human rights, industrial, intellectual property and privacy. The Court shares this jurisdiction with the Federal Court and in some cases state courts.

A Legal Aid lawyer may be able to represent you. See our policies for the kinds of legal issues we help with and our eligibility (means and merits) tests.  Find your local Legal Aid NSW office near you.

Our lawyers can advise clients with Centrelink matters and NDIS matters on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Contact the Tribunal on 1800 228 333 for an appointment.

Anti-discrimination

A Legal Aid NSW lawyer is available at the Sydney registry of NCAT to give advice on discrimination matters on the first Thursday of each month between 2.00 and 5.00 pm.  You should call NCAT on 1300 006 228 to make an appointment.

Tenancy and social housing

A Legal Aid NSW lawyer is able to provide you free legal advice about tenancy proceedings at NCAT, including private rental and social housing if you are a tenant (not a landlord). Our lawyers can represent you if you are eligible for legal aid. 

Our lawyers can represent you if you are eligible for legal aid. Find your local Legal Aid NSW office near you. 

NCAT Appeal Panel

A Legal Aid NSW lawyers is available to give you free legal advice about your tenancy orders that were made by the Tribunal and tell you about your appeal options. You should contact the NCAT Housing Appeals Advice Hotline  on (02) 9219 5800.

If you have a matter in the District Court and you don't have a lawyer you should seek legal advice as soon as possible.

If you have appealed against a conviction or sentence imposed in the local court and you wish to be represented by a legal aid lawyer you should apply for legal aid as soon as possible.

Duty lawyers are available at some district courts for district court appeal matters for a first appearance only (if you are in custody).

All participants referred to the Drug Court are represented by Legal Aid NSW while their matters are before the Drug Court. All participants must be referred by a court.

Duty lawyers provide assistance with Involuntary Patient Orders, Community Treatment orders, Protected Estates Act orders and Appeals against detention.

For more information, see Mental Health Advocacy Service.

Duty Lawyers assist with parole applications and hearings to review decisions to revoke parole orders and intensive correction orders. 

A Legal Aid lawyer may be able to assist you if you are eligible for legal aid. Find your local Legal Aid NSW office near you.

For more information about interpreter and translator services at NSW Courts and Tribunals, visit the NSW Courts, Tribunals and Service Delivery website.

For more information about interpreter services at the Family Court of Australia, visit the Interpreter Services page on the Family Court of Australia website.