News

Court Services Victoria - Data Security Notification

stephanie.liew — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:58:15 +0000

Thursday 30 July 2026

Statement from the Chief Executive Officer of Court Services Victoria (CSV), Louise Anderson:

Court Services Victoria (CSV) is aware of a data security incident impacting the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria and the Children’s Court of Victoria.

The incident led to unauthorised access to some information used to link court participants to online hearings.

CSV immediately investigated and shut down the way the information was accessed, strengthened security and continues to monitor the system.

All relevant authorities have been notified of the incident and are assisting with the investigation and response.

The unauthorised access was to some information used to link court participants to online hearings at the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria and the Children’s Court of Victoria between 2022 and 2026. The information related to online hearings at some court locations including Bendigo, Castlemaine, Echuca, Kerang, Kyneton, Maryborough, Mildura, Ouyen, Robinvale and Swan Hill.

The system from which this data comes is separate from the Case Management System (CMS) used by the two courts and does not contain information about court proceedings from that system.

Some of the information accessed was already on the public record, including:

case titles and numbers
hearing dates and times
courtrooms, and,
participant names.

Other information such as email addresses and/or a description of the person’s role in the matter (i.e. lawyer, court staff, observer) was also accessed.

Our investigation and response remain ongoing and we will continue to provide updates as further information becomes available.

In the meantime, if you were involved in a case in the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria or the Children’s Court of Victoria during the time frame and locations noted above and are concerned that you may be impacted, you can call the Court between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday and make an enquiry. Alternatively, a person can contact the Court webchat service between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday. See contact details for the Court.

Maintaining security for court users is our highest priority.

CSV remains committed to promptly sharing as much information as possible and encourages people to visit our Frequently Asked Questions web page.

New guideline to assist litigation guardians

stephanie.liew — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 05:53:15 +0000

A guideline to assist to people understand the role and responsibilities of a litigation guardian has been launched by Court Services Victoria.

A litigation guardian is a person who conducts a court case on behalf of another person, either because the person is not yet 18 or they have a disability that prevents them from attending to the things needed for the court case to proceed. The litigation guardian makes the decisions in the case that the represented person would otherwise need to make.

The Litigation Guardians guideline – the first of its kind in Victoria – is aimed at helping potential litigation guardians to understand:

the role of a litigation guardian in the court process;
why the role is so critical;
key duties and responsibilities;
what questions to ask the represented person’s lawyer, including about costs and court processes;
the importance of avoiding conflicts of interest; and
the importance of consulting with the represented person and determining their will and preferences as far as practicable.

Supreme Court of Victoria Chief Justice Richard Niall commended the creators of the guideline for the significant work and consultation that had gone into its development.

“The first Litigation Guardians guideline is a very important step in assisting prospective litigation guardians to understand their critical role and the extent of their responsibilities,” he said.

“Crucially, the guideline will also support the legal profession in their interactions with litigation guardians and will help with the efficient administration of court processes.”

Read the new Litigation Guardians guideline.

The Supreme Court has published a Practice Note requiring practitioners to provide the guideline in addition to the advice they provide to prospective litigation guardians.

Court Services Victoria Annual Report 2024-25 released

michael.day — Thu, 13 Nov 2025 23:47:44 +0000

Tabled in Parliament on 14 November, Court Services Victoria’s 2024–25 Annual Report highlights a year of progress in delivering accessible, inclusive and innovative justice services.

Key achievements include:

Completion of the Wyndham Law Courts, a landmark facility for the delivery of justice services in Melbourne’s growing west
Progress on the new VCAT CBD venue, on track to open in 2026 to provide more effective and efficient dispute resolution services
Delivery of three new Specialist Family Violence Courts - another milestone in the ongoing transformation of Victoria’s courts
Continued investment in digital innovation, including the Case Management System and infrastructure upgrades, to improve efficiency and access to justice
A strong focus on cultural safety and self-determination to embed respect and prioritise the perspectives and voices of First Peoples
Ongoing efforts to support staff wellbeing and safe workplaces

Download the Court Services Victoria 2024-25 Annual Report.

Court Services Victoria – Family Violence Intervention Orders

Alvin.Bautista — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 07:28:24 +0000

On 15 November 2024, Court Services Victoria (CSV) implemented requested changes to the wording of Magistrates’ Court and Children’s Court family violence intervention orders (FVIOs).

A coding error was made as part of those changes to a legacy system, leading to a line in the orders being omitted when printed.

CSV was notified about the error on 4 March 2025 and took immediate steps to rectify it.

All copies of family violence intervention orders printed from 6 March 2025 no longer omit the relevant line.

A full post-incident review is underway.

CSV acknowledges and apologises for the error. The safety of all affected family members was CSV’s priority as we remedied the issue.

Affected family members or respondents can call the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria’s Service Centre on 03 9087 6116 between 9am and 7pm Monday to Friday.

Contact: feedback@courts.vic.gov.au

Progress on Gender Equality Action Plan (GEAP)

marcel.ianno — Mon, 09 Dec 2024 05:29:53 +0000

Court Services Victoria (CSV) has successfully submitted its first progress report and audit, fulfilling its obligations under the Gender Equality Act 2020 and taking another step towards achieving gender equality across our operations.

In March 2022, CSV submitted its first Gender Equality Action Plan (GEAP), which includes six strategies and 34 measures. As of 30 June 2023, when progress was measured, only five measures had not yet been started.

Highlights include:

Finalised the CSV People Strategy 2023-2026
Implemented the Peer Support Network and Contact Officer Program
Launched employee networks, including the CSV Pride & Allies Network and the Gender Equality Advisory Group
Implemented 10 of the 11 recommendations from the Szoke Review
Provided training on unconscious bias, gender equality, diversity, and inclusion
Integrated behavioural expectations into induction processes
Developed guidelines for Gender Affirmation in the Workplace.

Since June 2023, we have also completed other actions including:

Launched the CSV Inclusive Language and Communication Guide
Finalised the CSV Flexible Work Policy and Guide
Conducted a detailed analysis to understand the causes of our gender pay gap
Improved intersectional data collection with the introduction of a new Personal Details Form.

Progress Against Gender Equality Indicators

The Commission for Gender Equality in the Public Sector assessed CSV’s progress on seven key indicators:

Gender Composition at All Levels: Yes (women make up 71% of the workforce; 61% in leadership roles, more employees identifying as non-binary or gender diverse).
Gender Composition of Governing Bodies: Yes (equal representation in Courts Council – noting equal does not mean gender diverse)
Gender Pay Equity: No (mean gap remains at 9.8%)
Workplace Sexual Harassment: Yes (increased reporting and decreased prevalence rates indicates greater awareness)
Recruitment and Promotion: No (further work to be done on promotion processes and opportunities for career development)
Leave and Flexibility: Yes (increased uptake of flexible work arrangements by all genders and increase in men taking parental leave)
Gendered Work Segregation: No (ongoing underrepresentation of women in management and technical roles, high levels of inappropriate workplace behaviours)

Gender Impact Assessments

CSV conducted four Gender Impact Assessments in the reporting period, leading to significant actions:

Bendigo Law Courts: Created inclusive facilities such as a Parent Room, a safe entrance for family violence victim-survivors, and culturally safe and inclusive building for First Peoples.
Court Management System: Updated gender identifiers and included pronoun options to support gender diversity.
Therapeutic Justice Program: Designed with gender and intersectionality in mind.
Remote Support Hearing Services: Designed with gender and intersectionality in mind.

CSV is dedicated to promoting gender equality in our workplace and services. We are committed to implementing the remaining actions from our GEAP and addressing intersectional gender inequality.

Read the full progress report:

Gender Equality Action Plan – Progress Report (DOCX 358.11 KB)
Gender Equality Action Plan – Progress Report (PDF 315.24 KB)

Read the summary:

Gender Equality Action Plan - Progress Report (Summary) (DOCX 71.98 KB)
Gender Equality Action Plan - Progress Report (Summary) (PDF 135.8 KB)

Sexual harassment audit release – CSV statement

Alvin.Bautista — Wed, 21 Aug 2024 03:23:37 +0000

In 2021, Court Services Victoria, the Heads of Jurisdiction, the Judicial College and Judicial Commission committed to the implementation of 16 recommendations of the Szoke Review into Sexual Harassment in the Victorian Courts and the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT). The Review made 20 recommendations for reform to Court related entities and Government to prevent sexual harassment, improve reporting and support for those who experience it, and increase awareness and accountability. 

Recommendation 20 required an independent audit of the implementation of the Review recommendations and their effectiveness. 

CSV has now published phase one of the audit by Ashurst Risk Advisory; an independent report which considers whether recommendations have been acquitted as intended.

The audit found that implementation of 16 of the 20 recommendations were met and the remaining four were partially met. Overall, the audit report findings are positive and illustrate the “clear commitment from Courts and VCAT leadership to improving the workplace culture at CSV through the adoption of strategies to prevent sexual harassment”. 

CSV recognises that cultural change takes time and while the results in the phase one audit report are positive, the work to eliminate sexual harassment continues.

The audit identified a number of improvement opportunities. All five opportunities for CSV and Heads of Jurisdiction have been adopted, underscoring CSV’s continuing commitment to preventing sexual harassment and providing a safe and respectful workplace. These include the creation of a sexual harassment prevention plan, implementing Safe Work Australia’s guidance for sexual harassment risk assessment, and continuing to encourage all judicial officers and VCAT members to attend sexual harassment education programs. As at 30 March 2024 more than 87% of judicial officers and VCAT members had completed programs.

CSV welcomes the findings and improvement opportunities identified and remains committed to the ongoing cultural change that has positive and practical impact on the daily experiences of our people. 

CSV continues to monitor its progress and phase two of the audit will assess the effectiveness of the interventions put in place.

Bendigo Law Courts achieves 6 Star Green Star energy rating

marcel.ianno — Fri, 22 Mar 2024 03:46:25 +0000

Marking 12 months of operation, the Bendigo Law Courts has achieved World Leadership in sustainable design and construction with 6 Star Green Star - Design & As Built v1.2 Certified Rating by the Green Building Council of Australia.

Established by the Green Building Council of Australia in 2003, Green Star is an internationally recognised rating system. The system aims to enhance health and quality of life, and drive resiliency in buildings, fit-outs, and communities.

The project joins the 12% of buildings in Victoria to achieve the standard.

Integrating specialist courts including family violence and Koori courts, the court building is the first in Victoria with dedicated circulation reserved for vulnerable persons, and separate remote witness and safe waiting facilities.

The building minimises its carbon footprint by integrating solar panels, efficient HVAC systems, and intelligent lighting controls, and boasts rainwater harvesting systems, low-flow fixtures, and water-efficient landscaping.

Warm, natural colours and textures, and outlooks over Bendigo important to the traditions of the Dja Dja Wurrung People are bathed in natural light, with skylights thoughtfully positioned to further reduce the energy needed for lighting.

In practical terms, the energy consumption performance target of 128.1 kWh/m2 has been exceeded, achieving 103.92 kWh/m2 using onsite renewable energy sources, including a photovoltaic solar panel array generating approximately 150-160 kWh per day.

The rating achievement follows a Gold award in the Australian Design Awards for Rob McHaffie/AIRBAG’s custom installation in the Children’s Court waiting area, Feathers in the Wind. The screen is a digital interactive experience designed for young children that uses body tracking.

Depicting a park, the interactive digital collage is inspired by the local area and follows the motion of each person's head, hands, arms, and legs as they move in front of the screen. The work was designed to ease the stress of attending court, and similar instalments are planned in other court buildings.

The work sits alongside several artworks that consider the user-experience, which is at the forefront of the building’s design.

The recognition for the installation enhances the William Wardell Award for Public Architecture and a Commendation for Sustainable Architecture at the 2023 Australian Institute of Architects’ (AIA) Victorian Architecture Awards.

The project’s bold environmental sustainability agenda, engagement with Dja Dja Wurrung Traditional Owners and use of local businesses and tradespeople has been acknowledged and the project declared one that works as “a beacon for reconciliation and longevity”.

Court Services Victoria – Cyber Incident Information

Alvin.Bautista — Mon, 01 Jan 2024 22:45:13 +0000

Thursday, 18 January 2024

A series of frequently asked questions (FAQs) have been developed in support of the cyber security incident:

See FAQs - Cyber Security Incident

Statement from the Chief Executive Officer of Court Services Victoria, Louise Anderson:

On 2 January 2024, Court Services Victoria (CSV) released a statement outlining a cyber security incident impacting Victoria’s courts.

In it, we advised that audio-visual recordings of some hearings in courts between 1 November and 21 December 2023 may have been accessed and that it was possible that some hearings before 1 November could also have been accessed.

In many courts the system typically holds recordings for around 28 days, so the primary investigation period initially was 1 November to 21 December, which is when CSV identified the problem and isolated and disabled the affected network.

The incident impacted a single network that manages only audio-visual recordings for all courts and was contained to only that network.

Not all courts held hearings that were recorded on the impacted audio-visual network during that time frame.

We remain sincerely apologetic for the distress that this may cause people who have been part of hearings during the identified timeframe, and we are committed to providing support to impacted people requiring assistance.

Update

The investigation remains ongoing, but CSV can confirm the recordings of some hearings in the Supreme Court, County Court and Coroners Court on the audio-visual system were prior to 1 November 2023. At this stage, there is no change to the date ranges for the Magistrates’ Court and Children’s Court and VCAT remains unaffected. The date range of matters that may have been accessed is now as follows:

Jurisdiction	Date range	Hearings where recordings may have been accessed
Supreme Court	Previously 1 December to 21 December 2023 and some individual matters in November 2023 Updated date range: For matters heard in Supreme Court courtrooms in Melbourne dates remain 1-21 December 2023 For regional hearings and hearings in the County Court building the affected dates are now: Ballarat- April 2016 Bendigo- August 2023 Shepparton-January, February, July and August 2023 Wodonga- October, November, December 2023 County Court- May, June, July, October, November, December 2023	Court of Appeal, Criminal Division, Practice Court and regional hearings.
County Court	Previously 1 November to 21 December 2023. Updated date ranges: 4-6 April 2016; 28 May 2019 to 21 December 2023.	The majority of hearings recorded on the network from 1 January 2023 to 21 December 2023. Some hearings recorded on the network from 28 May 2019 to 1 January 2023 and 4-6 April 2016.
Magistrates’ Court	1 November to 21 December 2023	Some committals that were heard during this period.
Children’s Court	1 November to 21 December 2023	No hearings in the date range. A recording of one hearing in October which may have remained on the network.
Coroners Court	Previously 1 November to 21 December 2023. Updated date range: 5 August 2019 to 21 December 2023.	Some hearings from 5 August 2019 to 1 November 2023. All hearings from 1 November to 21 December 2023.
VCAT	N/A	None.

The updated date ranges became apparent from Friday 5 January 2024 when CSV was able to analyse devices it had disabled on the affected audio-visual network. It took time to collect, analyse and verify this detailed and coded information from devices located in courtrooms in Melbourne and around Victoria. The date ranges vary based on a number of factors including storage capacity.

The Supreme Court, Magistrates’ Court, Children’s Court and Coroners Court will continue their efforts to identify and notify impacted parties. Due to the volume of impacted matters at the County Court the Court will focus their efforts on notifying parties in particularly sensitive matters. Please be assured that CSV and the Courts continue to work on this process as a matter of priority.

We sincerely thank Victoria Police, Victoria Legal Aid, the Office of Public Prosecutions, Corrections Victoria, the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions and other justice entities for their assistance with this process.

Support

CSV is not currently aware of any unauthorised publication of the recordings. Monitoring of this will continue.

If material is published, CSV will work together with relevant agencies to assist impacted people and provide support specific to their situation.

We are very mindful of the distress any unauthorised publication may cause and we are committed to supporting those impacted if that occurs.

For those seeking further information or assistance, support is available by emailing CSVData@courts.vic.gov.au

This includes support from IDCARE, Australia’s national identity and cyber support community service.

Recovery

Maintaining security for court users is our highest priority and we continue to work closely with cyber security experts to ensure our systems are safe and secure.

As CSV rebuilds and re-establishes the affected network, the technology underpinning it is being updated to strengthen security.

CSV can confirm that after vigorous testing, video conferencing was re-established in most courts on 16 January 2024, enabling the return of hybrid hearings from Monday 22 January 2024. Transcription services are operational, however some delays are expected in the production of transcripts until systems are fully re-established.

All courts continue to safely and securely hear matters and information about the mode of hearings can be obtained from the relevant court.

For security reasons, CSV cannot comment on the specific details of some elements of our response to this cyber incident. However, we are committed to promptly sharing as much information as possible and encourage people to visit our Frequently Asked Questions web page, which is being updated regularly.

Previous media releases:

Tuesday, 2 January 2024: CEO statement on cyber incident

Wyndham Law Courts tops-out as building designs are released

marcel.ianno — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 07:42:10 +0000

The Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes and Local Member Tim Pallas visited the Wyndham Law Courts to unveil the building’s design and officially mark the Topping-Out, a construction milestone that sees the final floor of a building completed.

The Ministers were joined by Chief Magistrate Judge Lisa Hannan, President of the Children’s Court Judge Jack Vandersteen, and State Coroner Judge John Cain.

Attorney-General Symes said, “This project has been designed with the needs of the community at the heart.”

Watch our design release video below to see more renders of the future law courts:

The future Wyndham Law Courts designs release

Video of The future Wyndham Law Courts designs release

Built by Lendlease, Wyndham's future court designs by Lyons are informed by extensive consultation with the people who will use it, prioritising user experience, sustainability, and technological capability.

news_wyndham-law-courts_exterior-aerial-view.jpg

Exterior aerial view

The project is working to a Green Star 6-star as-built energy rating, with solar panels on the roof, low-carbon and high thermal performance pre-cast concrete panels on the exterior, and native plantings that can tolerate dry periods.

Inside, the building enables remote hearings, display of digital evidence and video conferencing alongside conveniences like wi-fi, charging stations and bookable meeting rooms.

news_wyndham-law-courts_waiting-area-2.jpg

Waiting area

Natural light, access to fresh air and greenery, a neutral interior palette and organic lines reflect the setting and create a calm environment, reflecting a more therapeutic approach to justice services.

Chief Magistrate Lisa Hannan said, “A modern court does not sit above or apart from its community, it sits within it, because a court at its essence has a single role, and that is to serve.”

news_wyndham-law-courts_wintergarden.jpg

Wintergarden

news_wyndham-law-courts_waiting-area-1.jpg

Waiting area

Construction of the Wyndham Law Courts will be completed in late 2024.

Court Services Victoria Annual Report 2022–23 Released

marcel.ianno — Wed, 01 Nov 2023 01:20:33 +0000

The Court Services Victoria Annual Report 2022–23 was released on Wednesday 1 November 2023.

Set against a backdrop of progress and change, the 2022–23 Court Services Victoria Annual Report outlines the work undertaken to support Victorian courts and tribunals.

In the opening message of the report, The Honourable Anne Ferguson, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria, and Chair of the Courts Council said:

“Court Services Victoria continues to evolve, in part because of what we have learned in recent years about responding to changing circumstance and also because of our commitment to making positive changes for the future.”

Highlights of 2022–23 include:

Opening of the new multi-jurisdictional Bendigo Law Courts and specialist Children’s Court in Dandenong; expansion works at the Sunshine Law Courts; and the development of Wyndham Law Courts; which all prioritise community focus and cultural safety
Release of our Koori Engagement and Consultation Framework, which will guide engagement with Koori stakeholders on programs and initiatives that impact Community
Implementation of key initiatives from our Gender Equality Action Plan, demonstrating our commitment to creating psychologically safe and inclusive workplaces
Delivery of future focused, people-centric technology and solutions, including digital wayfinding at Bendigo Law Courts, an online caseload dashboard and the first stage of the Case Management System Portal, which improve community access to justice.

Tabled in Parliament on Wednesday 1 November 2023, the Court Services Victoria Annual Report 2022–23 is available to download from this website.