District Court of South Australia | |
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34°55′47″S138°35′56″E / 34.929777°S 138.598805°E | |
Established | 1969 |
Jurisdiction | South Australia |
Location | Adelaide |
Coordinates | 34°55′47″S138°35′56″E / 34.929777°S 138.598805°E |
Composition method | Vice-regal appointment upon nomination by the Premier following the advice of the Attorney General and Executive Council of South Australia |
Authorised by | Parliament of South Australia via the: District Court Act 1991 (SA) |
Appeals to | Supreme Court of South Australia |
Judge term length | Mandatory retirement by age of 70 |
Website | District Court information section and location link |
Chief Judge of the District Court | |
Currently | Michael Evans |
Since | 20 Dec 2016 |
The District Court of South Australia is South Australia's principal trial court. It was established as a court of record by the District Court Act 1991. Prior to that the Court had existed since 1969 under the Local and District Criminal Courts Act 1926.
Judges of the District Court are appointed by the Governor of South Australia on the advice of the Executive Council. Once appointed, they cannot be removed from office except by an address from both houses of the South Australian Parliament. They must retire when they reach the age of 70. Judges of the Employment Court, the Environment, Resources and Development Court, the Licensing Court and the Youth Court, as well as Masters of the Supreme Court, also formally hold office as District Court Judges. They are not listed on this page (except where they have also served as a District Court Judge).
The work of the Court is divided into four areas: civil, criminal, administrative and disciplinary, and criminal injuries. The District Court can hear most civil and criminal matters except for offences related to murder and treason. It also has jurisdiction over criminal injuries compensation claims. In the administrative and disciplinary division, the Court hears appeals from various government agencies, tribunals and disciplinary bodies. The Court is usually constituted of a single judge sitting alone or with a jury (in criminal trials only). In certain cases a judge may sit with two assessors who, with the judge, determine factual questions while the judge determines questions of law. For ceremonial occasions such as the swearing in of a new judge, the Court sits as a Full Court constituted of all available judges.
The main seat of the Court is the Sir Samuel Way Building in Victoria Square, Adelaide (which was originally the Charles Moore and Co. Department store). [1] It also conducts circuits in Mount Gambier, Berri, Port Pirie, Whyalla and Port Lincoln (civil), and Mount Gambier and Port Augusta (criminal).
Judges of the District Court of South Australia as of December 2024 [update] are: [2] (Date of appointment appears in brackets)
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