Bail Division

Statement on the Bail Division

Overview 

The Bail Division of the Local Court has centralised and streamlined the management of all adult first instance fresh custody matters across New South Wales. The Bail Division enhances efficiency, ensuring a more consistent and structured approach to bail proceedings. The Bail Division operates 7 days per week under consistent practice.

Types of Matters Included in Bail Division

The Bail Division hears adult fresh custody matters:

• Police bail refusals – when police do not grant bail.
• Executed arrest warrants – when a warrant is acted on and leads to an arrest.
• Detention applications – requests to keep someone in custody or release them often for a breach of bail conditions.

The catchment for the Bail Division is:

• Weekdays - Regional NSW, Downing Centre, Newtown, and Waverley Local Courts.
• Weekends - all of NSW.

The Bail Division is being progressively expanded on Weekdays to include all of NSW.

Accessing the Virtual Court

All matters in the Bail Division are conducted virtually, with participants joining via Audio Visual Link (AVL). This includes: 

• Defendants
• Legal Representatives
• Prosecutors
• Family members or support persons
• Supporting agencies
• Media
• Community members

The Bail Division is divided into different Courts. Click here to view the Online Court List to know which Court is hearing each matter.

Webex Video Conferencing Instructions

The Bail Division operates using Webex, a secure video conferencing platform. Participants can access Webex through: 

• A standard web browser (no software installation required)
• A mobile or desktop app (available for download, if preferred

For more details on accessing Webex, including installing and setting up the application, click here.

Public Access to Proceedings

The Bail Division is open to the public. Those wishing to observe proceedings may do so online. 

Please contact BailDivisionRegistry@justice.nsw.gov.au who will provide you with links on how to appear from all devices and which Courtroom to dial into.

Information for Legal Representatives

If you are a legal representative for a matter in the Bail Division, please contact BailDivisionRegistry@justice.nsw.gov.au and provide the following details:

• Your client’s name
• Your contact information

The Bail Division Registry will then provide you with dial-in details and register your information against your client’s matter.

Contact and Further Information

For any inquiries, please contact the Bail Division Registry: BailDivisionRegistry@justice.nsw.gov.au.

See the Legal Aid website for information on the Bail Division and bail generally.