Circuits

The Court undertakes between 136 and 140 weeks of circuit hearings each year.

The Court endeavours to finalise most circuit matters within 12 months of committal. In order to achieve this outcome, the Court will endeavour to allocate trial dates at the first appearance in the District Court, or as soon thereafter as is practicable. The Court also endeavours to minimise any disparity in service levels and timeliness as between circuit and metropolitan matters.

The Court’s practices for circuit hearings in criminal matters is set out in the Consolidated Practice Directions & Circulars, Circuit Hearings.

The Court has also established a remote witness rooms for video links in the District Court Building. These can be used for circuit trials to obviate the need for a witness to travel to the circuit locations. These roomscan be booked using the usual Video Link Booking Request form.

Circuit Trial Listing Hearings by Videolink

The Court presently conducts circuit trial listing hearings (TLHs) by videolink to Albany, Bunbury, Busselton, Esperance, Kalgoorlie, Geraldton, Carnarvon, South Hedland, Karratha, Broome, Derby and Kununurra. Circuit TLHs commence at 9:15 am.

Counsel for the prosecution and defence based in Perth participate in proceedings in person in the courtroom at Perth. Counsel for the defence based in the country appear in person in a courtroom at the circuit location.

Generally, accused persons on bail and represented by counsel will answer their bail by reporting at the local courthouse in the circuit location. An accused may answer their bail at a location other than the courthouse at which they were bailed to appear. To do so, their lawyer will need to comply with the procedures set out in the Consolidated Practice Directions & Circulars, Appearances by Accused at Alternate Venues. Accused persons in custody that are required by Counsel to participate in the TLH do so by videolink from the prison.

Last updated: 1-Jul-2019

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