Devonport sits at the mouth of the Mersey River where it meets Bass Strait, and it is the largest port on Tasmania's north-west coast — the home of the Spirit of Tasmania ferries and a gateway for more than half the state's imports and exports. Around 70,000 people live within 35 kilometres, taking in the surrounding towns of Latrobe, Sheffield, Ulverstone, Port Sorell and the Mersey Valley running south toward Cradle Mountain. The regional economy is built on the port and freight, dairy and potato farming, poppy crops, food processing and tourism, with the Bass Highway linking Devonport east to Launceston and west to Burnie. With that mix of industry, transport and agriculture comes the everyday legal trouble that affects ordinary people here — drink-driving and traffic charges along the highway, criminal matters, family separations and divorce. Most of these are dealt with at the Devonport Magistrates Court, with the most serious matters going to the Supreme Court when it sits at Burnie.
Criminal Law in Devonport
Most criminal charges in Devonport begin at the Devonport Magistrates Court on Griffith Street, which hears summary offences and the early stages of more serious matters. Tasmania has no intermediate court, so indictable charges — the most serious cases — are committed up to the Supreme Court of Tasmania, which sits on the north-west coast at Burnie. Criminal law in this state is governed chiefly by the Criminal Code Act 1924.
Whether your matter stays in the Magistrates Court or is sent to the Supreme Court depends on the seriousness of the charge. Summary offences are dealt with by a magistrate, while indictable offences proceed by way of committal and are ultimately heard by a judge. Getting advice early matters, because decisions made in the first days — what you say to police, how you plead, whether you apply for bail — can shape everything that follows.
If you have been charged or arrested, remember you have the right to silence. You are not obliged to answer police questions beyond giving your name and address, and anything you say can be used against you. A lawyer can explain the charge, review the police evidence, advise on plea and bail, and speak for you in court. Call Legal Hotline and we can have a lawyer working on your matter, usually within the hour.
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Family Law in Devonport
Family law in Devonport is dealt with under federal law, not Tasmanian law. Parenting and property disputes are handled by the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia, which serves the north-west coast — sittings that once ran at Burnie are now listed at Launceston, the nearest registry for Devonport families. The court applies the Family Law Act 1975 across the whole country.
Before most parenting matters can go to court, the law expects parents to attempt family dispute resolution (mediation) and obtain a section 60I certificate, unless an exemption applies — for example where there is family violence or urgency. In any decision about children, the court's paramount consideration is the best interests of the child, looking at safety, the child's relationships and the practical realities of care.
It is important to know that a family violence order is a separate matter dealt with under Tasmanian law through the Magistrates Court, not the federal family law system, though the two often overlap. A lawyer can help you understand which process applies, prepare your application, and protect you and your children. Call Legal Hotline any time and we can connect you with a lawyer for your Devonport matter, usually within the hour.
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Divorce in Devonport
Divorce in Devonport, like everywhere in Australia, is governed by the federal Family Law Act 1975 and dealt with by the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia. You do not need to attend the Devonport courthouse to start one — divorce applications are lodged online through the Commonwealth Courts Portal.
To apply you must show that you have been separated for at least 12 months, which demonstrates the marriage has broken down irretrievably. You can be "separated under one roof" — still living in the same home — provided you can show the relationship has genuinely ended. You will usually need your marriage certificate, and if you were married overseas you may need a translation.
Where there are children under 18, the court must be satisfied that proper arrangements have been made for their care before it will grant the divorce. Divorce itself is separate from sorting out parenting and property, which are dealt with under their own processes. A lawyer can prepare and lodge the application for you and make sure nothing is missed. Call Legal Hotline and we can have a lawyer on your matter, usually within the hour.
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Drink Driving in Devonport
Drink-driving offences in Devonport are prosecuted under Tasmania's Road Safety (Alcohol and Drugs) Act 1970, with related offences under the Traffic Act 1925. Charges are heard at the Devonport Magistrates Court on Griffith Street. These are criminal matters, and a conviction stays on your record.
Penalties depend heavily on your blood or breath alcohol reading and your history — the higher the reading, the heavier the penalty, and repeat offences are treated far more seriously than a first offence. Outcomes can range from fines through to a period of licence disqualification, and in the most serious cases imprisonment. A drink-driving conviction in Tasmania ordinarily carries an automatic disqualification of your licence.
Unlike Western Australia and Queensland, Tasmania does not offer a work or extraordinary licence that lets you keep driving for employment during a disqualification, so the loss of your licence can have real consequences for your job and family. A lawyer can review the breath-test procedure, advise on whether to plead, and put your circumstances to the court to seek the best possible outcome. Call Legal Hotline now — free, any time — and we can have a lawyer working on your matter, usually within the hour.
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Traffic Law in Devonport
Traffic matters in Devonport range from speeding and demerit-point losses through to far more serious charges like driving while disqualified, dangerous driving and negligent driving. The everyday offences are dealt with under Tasmania's Traffic Act 1925 and the road rules, while the most serious driving offences can fall under the Criminal Code Act 1924.
Minor infringements are usually handled by fine and demerit points, and you may not need to go to court at all. But accumulate too many demerit points and you face suspension — Tasmania offers the option of a good-behaviour period as an alternative to suspension in some cases, with stricter conditions. More serious charges, such as dangerous or disqualified driving, are heard at the Devonport Magistrates Court, with the gravest matters capable of being committed to the Supreme Court at Burnie.
Because a traffic conviction can mean fines, demerit points, licence loss and even a criminal record, it is worth understanding your options before you respond. A lawyer can advise whether to contest the charge, negotiate the outcome, or make submissions on penalty. Call Legal Hotline any time and we can connect you with a lawyer for your Devonport matter, usually within the hour.
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Devonport Courts
Where your matter is heard depends on the offence and its seriousness. The courts that serve Devonport are:
Devonport Magistrates Court (Magistrates Court)
Griffith Street, Devonport, Tasmania 7310. Hears summary criminal charges, drink-driving and traffic matters, bail applications, the early committal stages of serious offences, and a range of civil and family-violence matters for Devonport and the surrounding north-west coast.
Supreme Court of Tasmania (Burnie sittings)
The Supreme Court sits on the north-west coast at the Burnie Court House, Alexander Street, Burnie. Tasmania has no intermediate court, so the most serious indictable matters arising in Devonport are committed from the Magistrates Court straight to the Supreme Court.
Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Launceston registry)
Family law and divorce for Devonport are dealt with under federal law by the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia, with north-west coast matters now listed at the Launceston registry. Divorce applications are filed online through the Commonwealth Courts Portal.
What to Do Right Now
1
If police want to question you, give only your name and address — you have the right to silence in Tasmania. Politely tell them you want to speak to a lawyer first.
2
Write everything down while it's fresh: what happened, dates and times, names of any witnesses, and anything police said or did.
3
Check your paperwork for your first court date at the Devonport Magistrates Court on Griffith Street. Missing a court date can lead to a warrant or losing your licence by default.
4
Call Legal Hotline now — free, any time. Tell us what's happened and we'll connect you with a lawyer for your Devonport matter, usually within the hour.
Devonport Legal Questions
Which court will my Devonport matter be heard in?
Most matters start at the Devonport Magistrates Court on Griffith Street — criminal charges, drink-driving and traffic offences. Tasmania has no intermediate court, so the most serious cases are committed to the Supreme Court of Tasmania when it sits at Burnie. Family law and divorce are dealt with separately by the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia, with north-west coast matters listed at Launceston.
Can I get a lawyer the same day in Devonport?
Yes. Call the free hotline and we can have a lawyer working on your matter — anywhere in Australia, including in Devonport's courts — usually within the hour.
I've been charged with drink driving in Devonport — will I lose my licence?
In most cases a drink-driving conviction in Tasmania carries an automatic disqualification of your licence, with the length depending on your reading and history. Unlike Western Australia and Queensland, Tasmania does not offer a work or extraordinary licence to keep driving during a disqualification, so it's worth speaking to a lawyer early about your options.
Do I have to go to a courthouse to start a divorce?
No. Divorce is filed online through the Commonwealth Courts Portal once you've been separated for at least 12 months. For Devonport, the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia handles family and divorce matters through its Launceston registry. A lawyer can prepare and lodge it for you.
Is calling Legal Hotline really free?
Yes. The information line is free and open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can call any time to understand where you stand — no cost, no obligation.