The Supreme Court comprises two divisions: the Trial Division, which oversees its original jurisdiction, and the Court of Appeal, which deals with its appellate jurisdiction, and is frequently referred to as a court in its own right. Although the Supreme Court is theoretically vested with unlimited jurisdiction, it generally only hears, at trial, criminal cases in instances of murder, manslaughter or treason, and civil cases where the statement of claim is in excess of the Magistrates' Court limit of $100,000.
The Supreme Court has two divisions - the Trial Division and the Court of Appeal.[1]
Trial Division
The Trial Division sits with one judge, and usually acts as a court of original jurisdiction for serious criminal matters such as murder, attempted murder, corporate offences and certain conspiracy charges, and civil matters which are considered to involve greater complexity or amounts of money more than would be appropriate to have determined in the Magistrates' Court (whose civil jurisdictional limit is $100,000)[2] or County Court (whose jurisdiction has since the beginning of 2007 been unlimited as to amount). The Trial Division also acts as an appeal court from the Magistrates' Court on questions of law, and appeals from the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal on points of law, except against an order of the President or Vice-President of the Tribunal. It also hears federal indictable offences such as treason.
The Commercial Court is a sub-division of the Trial Division, composed of specialist judges to deal with commercial disputes.
Court of Appeal
The Court of Appeal hears appeals from the County Court and the Trial Division, as well as appeals on points of law from the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal against the order of the President or Vice-President, and usually consists of a panel of three Judges of Appeal. In rare cases where it is sought to overrule or reconsider the correctness of a previous Court of Appeal decision, it can sit with five judges.
Front facade of the Supreme Court of VictoriaSupreme Court of Victoria Front EntranceView of Lonsdale Street facadeSupreme Court of Victoria Library Tower Dome
^"How the Court works". The Supreme Court of Victoria. Archived from the original on 30 September 2022. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
^Magistrates Court Act 1989 (Vic) section 100.
^ a b"Locations". Supremecourt.vic.gov.au. Archived from the original on 12 May 2017. Retrieved 22 May 2017.
^"Judges". Supreme Court of Victoria. Archived from the original on 1 March 2015.
^Premier of Victoria (13 April 2021). "New Appointment To Victoria's Highest Court". Archived from the original on 14 June 2021. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
Notes
^On questions of law
External links
Official Supreme Court of Victoria website
Judges - Historic List
Supreme Court Act (The Act which governs the Supreme Court) (pdf 459kb)