Friday, 26th April 2024
This page is mainly about Civil Courts - people suing and being sued.
If you are looking for information on Criminal Law then visit our Public page on Criminal Law.
The Authority administers all of the State Courts listed on this Page.
Their excellent web site has all of the current information for lawyers, the public, schools and the media about our Courts.
Foolkit links to only a selection of key information on South Australian Courts - if you can't find it here, then chances are that it is at www.courts.sa.gov.au.
For information about how to contact each of these Courts and where to find their Rules, Forms and Fees, go to:
The Magistrates Court is limited to dealing with personal injury claims arising from car accidents up to $80,000. In all other types of cases it has an upper limit of $40,000.
The District Court can deal with all cases other than probate and admiralty, though the larger and most complex cases are usually dealt with in the Supreme Court. It also deals with Victims of Crime matters and most administrative appeals..
There are no upper limits on the cases in the Supreme Court. It deals with most appeals.
The Magistrates Court has a minor civil jurisdiction that hears matter up to $6,000.00.
Lawyers are not allowed to represent parties except under specific circumstances. Parties are self- represented. Due to the cost of engaging a lawyer, people involved in disputes of this size do not usually engage a lawyer. The Court Offices are very helpful.
The Courts Administration Authority has some self-help pages relating to Minor Civil Claim.
Refer also to our Courts Pages For Lawyers for general information about our Courts.
The Law Handbook (South Australia) has a chapter on this. Under the heading of Minor Civil Claims they go through the steps involved in a Court Case. With some modifications the same principles apply to any Court case and it is useful background information for you even if your case involves larger amounts of money and you will be using a lawyer.
Queensland Public Interest Law Clear House set of fact sheets is also very good at explaining different aspects of what is involved in a Court case.
Arts Law Centre has a collection of information on recovering debts, including a sample letter of demand.
Law Handbook (Victoria) has helpful advice on dealing with a range of disputes. This link is to their advice about disputes over money.
Foolkit has a page of DIY Legal Kits. You may also find more focused information about your legal problem on that page.
The Courts all charge fees. Refer to the Court and Tribunal Fee Waiver Guideto see if you are eligible to have those fees reduced or waived.
Are you looking for detailed information like this, or contact details for any of the bodies mentioned on this page. If so, then start on the Courts Pages on the blue For Lawyers pages.
If it isn't there, then start on our Finding Detailed Legal Information page.
Please read our warning on that page "Be careful using these resources".
The Law is not always as straightforward as it appears. We have not included any information about when and how to use that information or any traps. We assume that the Lawyers will know this.
Please give us feedback about your experiences using Foolkit and ideas for improvements.
Going to Court can be costly, emotionally draining and drawn out. Some Court cases take many years to conclude. There are alternatives to going to Court. Often it pays to look into these methods of dispute resolution before launching into litigation. Talk to your lawyer about alternatives including settlement conferences, mediation and arbitration.
For a very general explanation on the various types of alternative dispute resolution:
The The Legal Services Commission Handbook has a chapter on resolving disputes and a list of services available in South Australia.
Going to Court for the first time can be a daunting experience.
Some people choose to represent themselves, especially for minor civil matters in the Magistrates Court (i.e. those involving an action for less than $6,000). Self-representation means that a party does not have legal representation. So, if you choose to be self-represented you will receive all documents and notifications from the court directly, will have to attend the court hearings and will need to give an address to the court and any other party involved in the hearing.
There is information about going to Court for a civil or criminal matter in The Courts Administration Authority.
The Ombudsman can assist you with your complaint about the administrative actions of a government agency or authority, or local government council.
There are also bodies appointed to resolve disputes within particular Industries, Departments or particular areas of concern.
A court not only decides who the Winner and Loser are, it also decides who is to pay for the legal costs that are involved. These are the Court's fees as well as the costs of the solicitors and barristers.
Sometimes who will pay costs, and how much they will pay, is negotiated between the parties. Your lawyer will explain to you what is occurring in respect to costs as the matter unfolds.
Prior to a trial there will be short hearings (that may be called directions, status or interlocutory hearings) or applications that your lawyer will attend on your behalf. If you are self-represented you will attend these hearings that guide the case towards a resolution or a trial. At the end of each short hearing there is usually an order made about who will pay the costs of that part of the case once the matter has concluded. Some common orders include:
Costs in the Cause: The ultimate loser of the case will pay the costs of the hearing.
Costs Reserved: The question of who will pay costs will be determined at a later date.
Here are some simplified explanations of legal speak when it comes to costs. NOTE: Always check your retainer (agreement) in place with your lawyer as to how they define these terms:
When the Court orders one party to pay the costs of the other party, it means its party/party costs. Party/party costs are always less than solicitor/client costs (often around 60 to 75%). Thus the 'winner' of any litigation is usually left out of pocket in respect of their legal costs to this extent.
Party/party costs are determined according to the appropriate Court Scale; i.e. if you are in the Supreme Court, the Supreme Court scale applies. Your agreement with your own solicitor may provide for paying their fees on some other basis.
Law Handbook Online is an excellent free resource and has chapters on:
