Supreme Court Jurisdiction

The ACT Supreme Court is a superior court of record enjoying civil, criminal and appellate jurisdiction. Criminal trials may be heard before a judge and jury, or by judge alone at the election of the accused. In civil matters the Court has an unlimited monetary jurisdiction, although claims for less than $250,000 are usually brought in the Magistrates Court. An appeal lies to the Supreme Court from the Magistrates Court, the Childrens Court, and the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal (ACAT) (including the ACT Administrative Appeals Tribunal).

The Supreme Court exercises jurisdiction in corporations law, adoptions, probate and other matters including admiralty. The Court's admiralty jurisdiction was inherited from the Supreme Court of New South Wales. It is a jurisdiction which - according to former ACT Chief Justice Jeffrey Miles in his publication, A History of the Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory: The First 75 Years (Lawbook: 2009) - the Court has not yet had an opportunity to exercise even though it has power to hear matters to do with the Jervis Bay Territory, the Australian Antarctic Territory and the Heard and McDonald Islands Territory.

Composition of the Court

The Supreme Court comprises of the Chief Justice and five resident judges. From time to time the court is assisted by additional judges (each of whose primary commission is as a Judge of the Federal Court of Australia) and acting judges to assist in the work of the court.

The Court consists of two administrative units that answer directly to a Registrar. They are the Registry which is responsible for maintaining up-to-date records of the Court, processing judgments and orders, listing cases and securing court records and the Sheriff’s Office which is responsible for serving and executing the civil process of the Court, administering the jury system, court security and providing court attendants. The court is also supported by the Russell Fox Library which provides library services to the ACT courts.