About CSV

The establishment of Court Services Victoria on 1 July 2014 heralded a new era of independence for Victoria's courts. From that day, judicial services became independent of the executive arm of government and Victoria's courts and tribunals became accountable directly to parliament.

The Court Services Victoria Act 2014 establishes CSV as an independent statutory body corporate to provide services and facilities to Victoria's courts, Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal, the Judicial College of Victoria and the Judicial Commission of Victoria. CSV was formed to strengthen the independence of Victoria's courts and tribunals, and to put court administration into the hands of an entity directed by the judiciary. 

The Supreme, County, Magistrates', Children's and Coroner's courts, and VCAT, the College and the Commission are all separate and distinct entities, with their own governing councils, internal arrangements and rule-making responsibilities. Under the banner of the Courts Group, their executives come together with the Chief Executive Officer of CSV to manage Court Services Victoria as a whole.

The Courts Group essentially constitutes the judicial branch of Victoria's system of democratic government.

Courts Council is the governing body of CSV - it directs strategy, governance and risk management - and it is the foremost decision-making body of the Courts Group.

With these arrangements in place, Victoria has a self-administered courts system.