Minimising the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) update

The WHO has declared the spread of COVID-19 a pandemic. The Court continues to monitor NSW Health announcements and health advice relating to (COVID-19) on a daily basis and make changes to minimise risk to the court members, staff and court users.

The Court has implemented measures to reduce the need for personal attendance by parties and keep the Court operational as far as possible.

Effective immediately:  

• Parties in Classes 1, 2 (excluding tree dispute applications), 3, 4 and 8 are required to use Online Registry and Online Court whenever available.
  
• Both Online Court and Online Registry will be operating 24 hours a day as normal and parties must avail themselves of these resources.
  
• Applications, appeals, notices of motion and subpoenas must be filed by Online Registry where access is available.
  
• Online Court is to be used to seek directions (including listing matters for conciliation conferences, mediations and hearings) and also access orders for subpoenas and notices to produce.
  
• Parties in Class 2 tree dispute applications and Class 5, 6 and 7 criminal proceedings and appeals must seek directions and access orders for subpoenas and notices to produce using the lecourt@justice.nsw.gov.au email address.
  

As the Court has telephone link services available, the Court requires listing of matters for directions or other orders by telephone whenever possible.

The Court will continue to run a daily Registrar's list and the Friday Judge lists. These should be conducted remotely. Matters including procedural and contested matters must be dealt with on the papers and by telephone as far as possible.

The Court is reviewing all matters including:  conciliation conferences on a case by case basis to maximise the use of telephone facilities and AVL including for regional matters. 

18 March 2020