Queensland court etiquette: what to do on your first day

Save this five-step court-day checklist

Check your notice and the official court-date and law-list service. If anything is unclear, contact the relevant court registry; do not assume an online listing replaces your notice or a direction.

The Queensland prosecution witness guide suggests arriving 30–45 minutes early. Treat that as planning guidance, allowing additional time for travel, security, meeting a lawyer or arranging help; it does not change the attendance time on your notice.

1. Confirm the practical details: date, time, courthouse, courtroom, case number and why you must attend. Check transport and arrange time away from work or caring responsibilities; you may need to wait.
2. Bring the complete notice or summons, bail papers if relevant, documents your lawyer or the court requested, a pen and your contact details. Keep papers organised and copies accessible.
3. Arrange help before the day: tell your lawyer or registry about language, hearing, mobility, medical or safety needs. Confirm what has actually been arranged and whether permission is needed to attend remotely.
4. At court, allow time for security, find the correct room and tell the relevant court officer or your lawyer you have arrived. A witness should also follow the instructions of the person who called them.
5. Wait where directed, listen for your case and check before leaving. Record the next date and any orders, conditions or documents you must provide before you go home.

If you do not understand an instruction, ask for it to be repeated or explained. Do not leave because your matter has not started at the listed time.

Your role changes where you wait and what you may do

If you are unrepresented, registry staff can explain procedure but cannot choose your plea or give you legal advice. The criminal law duty lawyer service may help at most Queensland Magistrates Courts, subject to its scope and availability. It does not cover every matter, and generally excludes trials, committal hearings, complex sentences and many traffic matters.

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What to wear, where to sit and how to speak

Wear clean, neat clothing suitable for the occasion; you do not need to buy a suit. Remove a hat unless there is a religious or medical reason. The prosecution guide recognises those exceptions. Tell staff if a medical, disability or access issue affects what you can do.

Use “Your Honour” for a magistrate or judge. Magistrates Court Practice Direction 9 of 2004 confirms that form of address. This is not a universal title for every tribunal member, registrar or other official; ask staff if you are unsure.

If the magistrate or judge is present, bow or nod respectfully as you enter or leave. Stand if able when they enter or leave and when speaking to them, unless directed otherwise. If standing is difficult, tell staff or the judicial officer; do not put yourself at risk.

Sit where directed, avoid talking while proceedings are underway and do not interrupt. Do not eat or chew gum; ask staff about any necessary water, medication or access arrangement. Speak slowly and clearly, and ask for a question to be repeated if you have not understood it.

Good manners help the court operate, but they do not guarantee an adjournment, a reduced penalty or a favourable decision. Your evidence, the law and the court’s orders remain important.

Phones, recording and posting online

For a visitor, the practical rule is to switch off your phone and other devices before entering. The Magistrates Court, District Court and Supreme Court device directions regulate use and permit limited uses by particular authorised people. Their exceptions do not give a visitor general permission to use a device.

Do not take photographs, make an audio or video recording, stream a hearing or use a device or app to make a digital transcript without the required authorisation. Court-building photography may require specific approval too. Do not assume the rule disappears because you are attending a hearing remotely.

If you need a device for accessibility, documents or another necessary purpose, ask the court how to obtain permission before using it. Having a lawyer, seeing a journalist type or receiving a remote-hearing link does not itself authorise your own recording.

Follow publication restrictions as well as recording rules. A hearing being open does not mean every name, allegation or document can be posted on social media or shared publicly. Ask about restrictions before sharing court material.

A breach of a court direction or disruptive behaviour can have serious consequences, including contempt proceedings where applicable. This guide does not treat every device breach as the same statutory offence or predict a penalty.

Can family or friends attend a Childrens Court hearing?

The answer depends on the proceeding. Section 20 of the Childrens Court Act 1992 restricts attendance in covered hearings, with categories of people who may be present and powers to permit or exclude others. It does not apply to a judge hearing and determining a charge on indictment.

The specialist Childrens Court of Queensland (District Court) guide explains that most of its criminal hearings are open, while child-protection hearings are closed. Other closure orders or restrictions may still apply. Confirm the particular hearing’s arrangements with the registry or lawyer instead of assuming all children’s hearings are either open or closed.

Section 301 of the Youth Justice Act 1992 separately restricts publication of identifying information about a child dealt with under that Act, subject to statutory exceptions and authorised publication. It can apply to internet publication. Permission to sit in court is not permission to identify a child online.

Ask early about interpreters, disability access and safety

Use the Queensland Courts interpreter guidance and tell your lawyer or registry promptly about the language and dialect needed. Hearing arrangements depend on the court, case and person requiring assistance; free telephone assistance at a counter is a separate service.

In covered criminal and bail matters, the Magistrates Court direction provides for a court-funded defendant’s interpreter where required in the interests of justice. Interpreters for other witnesses are usually arranged and paid for by the calling party. The Supreme Court direction also sets requirements for covered criminal and bail matters. These are not a promise of free interpreters for all civil or domestic-violence proceedings.

Ask who must make the written request, which documents and notice period apply, who will pay and whether the booking is confirmed. Do not assume a friend or family member can replace an approved interpreter or that waiting until the hearing day will be sufficient.

Tell the registry or your lawyer about mobility, hearing, medical or safety needs. Ask about suitable access, waiting arrangements and any application for remote attendance or other support. A request is not approval; continue to follow the existing attendance direction unless it is changed.

If you are late or cannot attend

Contact your lawyer and the relevant registry as soon as you know there is a problem. Give your name, case number, court date, role and a brief explanation; keep evidence and a record of the contact. Ask what application or direction is needed. A message or phone call does not itself excuse attendance or adjourn the case.

The consequences depend on why you were required to attend. Under the Bail Act 1980, failure to appear can lead to a warrant and a separate offence, subject to the applicable provisions and defences. Under Criminal Code sections 644B–644D, a subpoenaed witness who fails to attend may face a warrant or contempt proceedings where the statutory requirements are met.

A casual observer is not in the same position as a defendant on bail or a subpoenaed witness. If you have missed a required appearance, get advice urgently about the actual court action and the steps available; do not assume the matter has simply been postponed.

Official help and free legal information

Check free information and advice options before paying for help. Services have different eligibility and case limits; contact them early with your court date. Court staff provide procedural information, not legal advice about your case.

Common questions before a Queensland court appearance

Related legal information