courthouse
information
sir samuel way building
Contact details
Street address
241-259 Victoria Square, Adelaide, SA, 5000
Postal address
GPO Box 2465
Adelaide SA 5001
Telephone
Fax
Which courts operate regularly in
the building?
Supreme Court - Criminal
District Court - Civil, Criminal, Criminal Injuries, Administrative and
Disciplinary
Environment, Resources and Development (ERD) Court
Court of Criminal Appeal
What are the business hours?
Supreme Court and District Court Criminal Registry: 9.00 am to 5.00 pm, Monday
to Friday.
District Court Civil: 9.00 am to 5.00 pm, Monday to Friday.
ERD Court: 9.00 am to 5.00 pm, Monday to Friday.
Is there a general information
counter?
Yes. A volunteer information desk is located in the entrance foyer.
What facilities/services are
available for people with disabilities?
Accessible toilet is located on Level 1, opposite the lifts.
Accessible water fountain located on Level 1, opposite the lifts.
Controls in lifts are at a suitable height for people in a wheelchair.
Braille available in all lifts for people with vision impairment.
Closest accessible car parking is in the Central Market Car Park, Victoria
Square or Mill Street Car Park (off Gouger Street).
Portable ramps are available for accessing courtrooms so please notify the
Sheriff’s Office (8204 0149) or sheriff@courts.sa.gov.au
before you attend to make the appropriate arrangements.
Where can I find out about my
case?
If your case is to be heard on that day, check the case list in the entrance
foyer of the building. If it is not on these lists, ask at the registry on the
ground floor (for ERD Court matters and District Court civil matters), or at the
registry on the third floor of the building (for District and Supreme Court
criminal matters).
What other services operate
from the building?
Sheriff’s Office, Ground Level. 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday
Court Reporting, Ground Level (Transcript Collection). 8.45am to 5.30pm, Monday
to Friday
Communications Branch, Level One. 8.45am to 5pm Monday to Friday.
Volunteers, Entrance Level Information Desk. 9am to midday, Monday to Friday
Where should I go before my
hearing?
After you have checked the case list, go to the courtroom and report to the
court staff in that courtroom, five minutes before your case is due to be heard.
How long before the hearing
should I arrive?
If you don’t have a lawyer, you should report to the court staff in the
nominated courtroom, five minutes prior to the commencement time of when the
matter is to be heard.
If you do have a lawyer, you should arrive at the time arranged with your lawyer, but report to the court staff in the nominated courtroom five minutes before your case is due to be heard.
Is there a private room I can use
to talk to my lawyer?
There are two interview rooms on levels 3 and 5 of the building, which you and
your lawyer can use to speak in private. You will need someone from the Sheriff’s
Office (Ground Level) to unlock the room for you.
Where is the nearest public
phone?
Blue public coin-operated phones are located on the following floors.
Level 1 – Adjacent Court 1 and Court 5
Level 3 – Adjacent Court 10
Level 5 – Adjacent Courts 24 and 25
Card-operated public phones are located at the Victoria Square entrance to the Central Market Arcade (turn left when leaving the building, then left again at the corner of the building).
Can I bring my mobile phone into
court?
Mobile phones and pagers must be turned off while in the courtroom. You may use
mobile phones and pagers in other public areas of the building.
Where are public toilets located
within the building?
Public toilets are located on the following floors:
Level 1 – Adjacent to Court 1
Level 3 – Opposite lifts
Level 5 – Opposite lifts
Are there cafes nearby?
There are a number of cafes within several minutes’ walk from the courthouse.
Cafes can be found in the Central Market, adjacent to the building (turn left
when leaving from the main doors, then left at the corner of the building), and
on Gouger Street (turn right as you leave the building and then right again at
the corner).
Where is the nearest public
transport?
Tram
The City to Glenelg Tram Station is located in the centre of Victoria Square,
directly in front of the building. To cross the road to the centre of the
square, turn left when exiting the building, walk to the corner and cross at the
pedestrian crossing. A free tram runs from Victoria Square to north Terrace
Train
The Adelaide Railway Station on North Terrace is a 15-minute walk from the
courthouse, or five minutes on the free city tram.
Is there car parking available
near the building?
Limited on-street ticket parking is available on Gouger Street, however parking
is for up to three hours only. An undercover parking station is located between
Gouger Street and Grote Street. The car park is open from 7am on weekdays until
midnight from Monday to Thursday, and until 2am on Fridays. There is also a
parking station in Mill Street, between Gouger and Wright Streets.
Where is the nearest taxi rank?
There is a taxi rank directly in front of the building.
What security procedures are in
place in the building?
Uniformed Sheriff’s Officers maintain security in the building, as well as
acting as court orderlies. All Sheriff’s Officers are trained to provide a
safe environment for everyone in the building.
Everyone who enters the building walks through an airport style metal detector. Any belongings you bring into the building must be x-rayed on your entrance. You may also be scanned with a hand-held metal detector. Nothing that could be used in an offensive manner is allowed into the building. This includes things like pocket knives. If in doubt, ask a Sheriff’s Officer.
How can I get an interpreter?
An interpreter would usually be organised through your lawyer. If you don’t
have a lawyer, please contact the court registry at least five working days
before your case is heard. Please tell them the court action number and the
language and dialect you need.
Other useful information about
the building:
The central staircase in the building only leads to the following floors:
Ground, Entry, Level 1 and Level 3. The lifts in the entrance of the courthouse
will take you to any floor in the building.