South Australian court etiquette: prepare for the day

What to do, and when permission matters

These are practical starting points for South Australian courts. They do not replace your notice, bail agreement, a judicial direction or a specific rule. Federal courts and tribunals have their own procedures.

Scroll the tables sideways to compare all columns.

Use the actual notice, not a general assumption about the court

Check the court name, address, date, time, case number and the type of event. Read every attendance or remote-hearing instruction and earlier order. The Legal Services Commission’s Going to court factsheet recommends getting legal advice as soon as you learn you need to attend. Do not wait until the hearing to arrange help if you can act earlier.

Allow time for travel, entry checks and finding the correct room. Arriving early is practical advice, not a universal statutory 30-minute rule. Be prepared to wait: the listed start time does not necessarily mean your case will be called first.

On arrival, check the court list and tell the appropriate court staff or sheriff’s officer you are present. Ask where to wait if your name is missing or you cannot find the room. A witness may be directed to wait outside until called; do not assume every person can sit through every part of the case.

If late, unwell or unable to attend, contact the court and your lawyer immediately. Keep an explanation and relevant evidence. The Bail Act and Criminal Procedure Act provide different attendance and non-appearance consequences. A warrant or a hearing without you can be possible; neither is automatic for every delay. Only an appropriate direction or decision changes an existing obligation.

Do not assume an email, a request for an adjournment or a written guilty plea permits you to stay home. Written-plea procedures are qualified and do not apply to every case. Get advice about the particular document and confirm any approved arrangement.

Dress neatly, listen and speak when invited

The Courts Administration Authority’s behaviour guide says you do not need a suit, but dress should be neat and smart. It identifies singlets, thongs, hats and sunglasses as inappropriate courtroom clothing. If a religious, medical or disability-related need affects clothing or participation, explain it early and ask about the arrangement rather than assuming a rule or exception.

It is customary to pause and acknowledge the court when entering or leaving, and to stand when the judicial officer enters or leaves or when you address them. If standing, hearing, speaking or another task is difficult, tell staff or the judicial officer and ask for directions. These courtesies should not be described as a guaranteed sentence benefit or a separate punishment for every nervous mistake.

For judges and magistrates, the official guide lists Your Honour, Sir or Madam. For a commissioner it lists Sir, Madam or Commissioner. Follow any particular direction and ask staff if unsure; there is no need to guess a title.

Wait for your turn, listen carefully and address the judicial officer. If you disagree with something, note the issue and raise it at the proper time rather than interrupting. If you do not understand an instruction, say so and ask for clarification.

Avoid eating, chewing gum and disruptive conversations. The current LSC factsheet expressly permits water; it does not support a blanket ban on every drink or water bottle. Follow any particular courtroom or access direction.

Disruptive behaviour or refusing a lawful direction can have serious consequences. The Magistrates Court Act and Youth Court Act contain particular contempt powers. They are not a universal fine or imprisonment rule for every etiquette error in every court.

Recording, taking notes and sending messages are different

The safest visitor preparation is to turn off your phone and other alarms before the hearing. CAA guidance says off, while the current LSC factsheet says silent or off. Neither short guide replaces the applicable procedural rules or a direction made in your case.

For criminal proceedings governed by the Joint Criminal Rules, rule 38.11 starts with restrictions on recording, subject to Court orders and specified exceptions. It allows certain note-taking by parties, lawyers, law clerks, students and bona fide media, under conditions. Limited media audio use has its own safeguards. This is not permission for every observer to record a hearing on a phone.

Rule 38.12 separately regulates electronic communications, with conditions and specified party, lawyer and media exceptions. Permission for notes does not automatically permit a photo, audio recording, livestream, message or public report. Publication restrictions continue to apply.

The Uniform Civil Rules contain corresponding provisions within their applicable scope. Different proceedings, court orders and exclusions matter. Ask about your proposed use before doing it; this guide does not establish that every device or every recording anywhere in a court precinct is governed by the same rule.

Check who may attend and what a supporter may do

The LSC court factsheet says an unrepresented person may wish to bring an adult supporter. At an ordinary open hearing the supporter will usually sit in the public gallery. They cannot sit with you at the bar table or address the court unless the judicial officer permits it. A supporter is not automatically your legal representative.

A quiet supporter should follow staff directions and avoid disrupting proceedings. If the person is also a witness, ask about waiting outside. If there are safety concerns or orders affecting contact between people, discuss arrangements with your lawyer or the court in advance.

Under Joint Criminal Rules 38.6–38.7, criminal hearings are ordinarily public subject to exceptions, including pre-trial conferences, certain directions hearings and the Youth Court regime. The Youth Court Act section 24 identifies people who may attend, additional classes for offence proceedings, Court authorisation and exclusion powers. Do not assume any member of the public can enter, or that every supporter is automatically excluded.

Permission to enter a hearing, permission to sit or speak in a particular place and permission to publish information are separate questions. The nature of the case and actual orders matter more than a general label such as open or closed court.

Ask early and confirm the arrangement

Tell your lawyer or the relevant registry about the language, hearing, communication, mobility or other assistance needed as early as possible. The CAA accessibility page directs users to location-specific information. Give enough information for the court to assess the request and check what has actually been arranged.

Joint Criminal Rule 38.14 addresses interpreters for witnesses and accused persons and distinguishes that assistance from an interpreter for a lawyer taking private instructions. Rule 38.15 requires sufficient notice for requested facilities, if available. These provisions do not guarantee every requested arrangement or a universal booking deadline.

The CAA translation guide suggests approximately five to ten working days when a prosecution witness needs an interpreter, through the prosecutor or registry. That guidance is specifically about prosecution witnesses. Other participants should contact their lawyer or the court early rather than treat that period as a universal legal rule.

If an expected interpreter or access arrangement is missing on the day, tell registry staff promptly. Explain any difficulty before answering or proceeding without understanding. Do not assume a family member can replace an approved interpreter or that a request automatically postpones the case.

An open hearing does not make every detail publishable

A suppression order can restrict identified information about a case. The Evidence Act sections 68–71C contain the relevant powers and qualifications, including open-justice considerations, specified suppression grounds and restrictions concerning sexual-offence identities. Read the actual order; a broad internet warning is not a substitute for its scope.

Some statutory restrictions apply without a separate suppression order. The Young Offenders Act section 63C restricts identifying reports of proceedings alleging an offence by a child or youth, subject to its conditions and Court permission. Diversion reporting has separate provisions. Youth Court attendance and publication are not the same rule.

The current LSC suppression guide explains the distinction in plain English. Before sharing names, images, allegations, evidence or case details online, check the applicable restrictions and get advice if unsure. A private conversation, legal consultation and public social-media post are different contexts; this page does not give blanket permission or impose a blanket ban on every statement.

Follow any confidentiality or non-contact directions. Avoid sending sensitive papers to a general contact or an AI service without checking the purpose and secure channel first.

Prepare these eight items before the hearing

Keep an organised working copy and the earliest required date at the front. Confirm what your lawyer, court or advice service actually needs; do not send the entire file to every contact.

1. Your complete summons, notice, charge papers, application or other initiating documents, including attachments and envelopes.
2. The case number, correct court and room, hearing date and time, and the contact details you may need if delayed.
3. Every bail agreement, existing order and attendance or remote-hearing direction, with outstanding obligations marked.
4. A brief chronology, your main questions and the relevant documents or evidence requested for this particular hearing.
5. Details of your lawyer or earlier advice, any duty-service enquiry, and what work has and has not been agreed.
6. Confirmed interpreter, communication, mobility or safety arrangements, plus a way to tell staff if they are missing.
7. Your supporter’s role, any witness instructions and any restrictions on contact, attendance or publication.
8. A way to note the next date and orders lawfully. Before leaving, check what you must do next and whether any document must be signed or obtained.

The platform privacy policy explains intake records and sharing. An AI conversation is not automatically privileged legal advice. Booking a consultation does not file documents, appear in court, vary bail or suspend time.

Official help and free legal information

Procedure information, legal advice and representation are different services. Contact the appropriate service early and check eligibility, scope and capacity.

South Australian court etiquette questions

Related legal information