Special Jurisdiction

Family Law

Most family law matters, such as divorce, are not heard in the Local Court. They are dealt with by the Family Court of Australia or the Federal Circuit Court of Australia.

The New South Wales Local Court has limited jurisdiction to hear some family law applications such as:

• property settlements
• residence orders.

The forms used in the Local Court for family law matters family court forms.

For more information about family law, forms and fees and publications, refer to the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia or refer to the Enquiries Hub.

Industrial Jurisdiction

All Local Court Magistrates are appointed as Industrial Magistrates. Matters arising out of industrial disputes can be filed and dealt with at any Local Court in NSW. Industrial Magistrates may exercise civil and criminal jurisdiction under a broad range of State and Commonwealth legislation. The industrial jurisdiction deals with such matters as:

• Recovery of money owing under Industrial Instruments, for example Awards, Enterprise Agreements and Statutory Entitlements
• Prosecutions for breach of industrial instruments
• Appeals from various administrative decisions
• Prosecutions for statutory breaches.

To search for Chief Industrial Magistrate's Court cases use the Interactive Court List. The Chief Industrial Magistrate's Court matters are incorporated into the Downing Centre Local Court list. Type 'Downing Centre' as the location for your search.

Additional resources for Industrial Jurisdiction

You can obtain information about what award relates to you from the following government sites:

• State Awards – NSW Office of Industrial Relations
• Commonwealth Awards – Fair Work Australia
• For forms and sample forms use for industrial disputes, see Local Court forms.
• For information about Industrial Magistrate fees, see Local Court fees.

Apprehended Violence Orders

Apprehended Violence Orders (AVOs) are also part of the Local Court's Special Jurisdiction. AVOs can be either:

• Apprehended Domestic Violence Orders, or
• Apprehended Personal Violence Orders.

For more information about Apprehended Violence Orders, click here.

Serious Domestic Abuse Prevention Orders

Serious Domestic Abuse Prevention Orders (SDAPOs) can be made in the Local Court and the Supreme Court (see Crimes (Domestic and Personal Violence) Act 2007). In the Local Court, the Police or the ODPP can apply for a SDAPO to be made against someone who has been convicted in the last 10 years of two or more domestic violence offences that carry a maximum penalty of 7 years imprisonment or more.

The Court has to be satisfied that there are reasonable grounds to believe the SDAPO will protect the person’s family members, their former, current, or potential intimate partner, and/or a person in a domestic relationship with an intimate partner of the person, by preventing the person engaging in domestic abuse.

A SDAPO may contain prohibitions, restrictions, requirements, and other provisions as the Court considers appropriate to prevent the person engaging in domestic abuse.

A SDAPO cannot exceed 5 years.

It is a criminal offence to knowingly contravene a SDAPO. The maximum penalty is 5 years imprisonment/fine 300 penalty units.

SDAPOs can exist alongside an Apprehended Violence Order, however, the SDAPO prevails where there is an inconsistency with an AVO.

Local Court Procedures for SDAPOs – September 2025 (PDF, 120.3 KB)