The court system

A number of courts and tribunals operate in Victoria. Their role is to interpret the law, decide who is right or wrong in a dispute, and impose penalties on people or organisations that have broken the law.

Laws are made by state and federal parliaments, and are administered by state and federal courts and tribunals.

Tribunals are usually less formal than courts and resolve a broad range of disputes, for example between consumers and businesses, or between landlords and tenants.

Find out about:

• the main Victorian courts and tribunals
• other Australian courts

In this section, you can also find information about appearing in court, including finding a lawyer, support services available and how to access court transcripts and judgments.