To provide parties residing in regional Victoria with greater access to the Court, the Court may conduct civil trials in the following 12 regional centres across Victoria:
- Ballarat
- Bendigo
- Geelong
- Hamilton
- Horsham
- Latrobe Valley (Morwell)
- Mildura
- Sale
- Shepparton
- Wangaratta
- Warrnambool
- Wodonga
A proceeding should be initiated in the Civil Circuit List in accordance with Practice Note SC CL 1 (Second revision) where the cause of action arose in regional Victoria, or where the majority of parties or witnesses reside in regional Victoria.
Where the plaintiff alleges that they are suffering from a dust disease, the proceeding should however be initiated in the Dust Diseases List. The proceeding will receive special management and may be fixed for trial in the relevant civil circuit or in Melbourne.
Judge in charge
The Honourable Justice Forbes
Associate judge
The Honourable Associate Justice Irving
Judicial registrar
Judicial Registrar Baker
Parties are reminded that any correspondence with the Court must be sent simultaneously to all other parties and must be confined to uncontroversial matters. For further information about communication with the Court, see para 6 of Practice Note SC Gen 4 Custom and Protocol.
The Court calendar provides the beginning and end dates for the regional circuits for the Common Law Division as well as the Court of Appeal and the Criminal Division.
Special fixtures
It may be possible to arrange a special fixture of an individual case at a regional court outside the allocated circuit sitting period. Practitioners should make relevant enquiries via the List e-mail address: pvivy.pvephvgf@fhcpbheg.ivp.tbi.nhua.vog.civ.truocpus@stiucric.livic .
Practitioners should consult Practice Note SC CL 1 (Second revision) for detailed information concerning the management of cases in the Civil Circuit List.
First directions hearings
After the filing of the first defence, the Court will list a first directions hearing for the purpose of setting an interlocutory timetable and in most cases, a trial date.
Parties are encouraged to seek consent orders 'on the papers' ahead of the first directions hearing and submit signed pdf and Word versions via email to pvivy.pvephvg@fhcpbheg.ivp.tbi.nhua.vog.civ.truocpus@tiucric.livic .
Interlocutory applications
Interlocutory applications including those for a new trial date, should be made on summons. Where an application is expected to exceed two hours, it may be listed as a special fixture, or in the first instance, for directions.
A return date is required before an interlocutory application may be filed. Parties may obtain a date by sending a completed Interlocutory Application Information Form - Civil Circuit List via email to pvivy.pvephvg@fhcpbheg.ivp.tbi.nhua.vog.civ.truocpus@tiucric.livic .
Post-mediation directions and callover
All proceedings will be listed for a post-mediation directions hearing two to three weeks after the date mediation has been ordered to have occurred.
Approximately two weeks prior to the commencement of a circuit sitting, the trial judge will conduct a callover in Melbourne of all cases listed in that circuit. For more information about callovers please consult Practice Note SC CL 1 (Second revision).
Attendance at these hearings is compulsory. All persons appearing must have a good working knowledge of the matter and be in a position to advise the Court on its progress and readiness for trial.
Parties are reminded of the requirement to order transcript for trials and should consider the requirements for ordering transcript contained in Practice Note SC GEN 7 Transcript in Civil Proceedings (Second revision).
Seminars & speeches
- The dos and don'ts of virtual hearings seminar - June 2020
- How to make effective interlocutory applications seminar - November 2019
- Wellbeing seminar - May 2019
- Paperless trials and in-court technology seminar - November 2018
- Expert Evidence in Personal Injury Proceedings - May 2018
- The Lost Art of Preparation for & Advocacy in Jury Trials - October 2017
- Preparing for Mediation in Personal Injury Proceedings - April 2017
Communications in relation to the Civil Circuit List should be directed to pvivy.pvephvgf@fhcpbheg.ivp.tbi.nhua.vog.civ.truocpus@stiucric.livic .
Enquiries concerning criminal circuit matters should be directed to pevzvanyqvivfvba@fhcpbheg.ivp.tbi.nhua.vog.civ.truocpus@noisividlanimirc or 8600 2059.