The District Court has jurisdiction to try a charge of any offence except treason or murder. Trials are conducted before a judge sitting alone or with a jury. Almost all such matters have been referred to the District Court following a committal process in the Magistrates Court.
The Criminal Registry provides a centralised service serving both Supreme and District Criminal Courts. It ensures that the criminal listing and caseflow management system is administered efficiently and maximises the use of judicial resources. It receives and processes Magistrates Court committal files, informations (the documents lodged by the Director of Public Prosecutions to initiate criminal proceedings), as well as applications for bail, bail variation and review of bail applications for leave to appeal.