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Courts across Victoria are closing to the public on days without scheduled hearings, prompting concerns about access to justice in regional communities. This week another 10 courthouses switched to remote registry services on non-sitting days as part of the third phase of a Magistrates' Court of Victoria (MCV) pilot, which began last year. The latest courts to close to the public on non-sitting days include Bairnsdale, Bacchus Marsh, Benalla, Echuca, Korumburra, Kyneton, Sale, Seymour, Swan Hill and Wangaratta. According to the calendar on the MCV website Wangaratta's courthouse will shut for one to two days a week in August and September. Hume Riverina Community Legal Service principal lawyer Alison Maher said the move could limit access to crucial legal support services, including for victims of family violence. "Courts are a real hub — they're much more than the decision-makers on those sitting days," she said. Ms Maher said the legal service often saw applicants for family violence orders seeking assistance from local court registrars. Court registries are also used to pay fines, set payment plans and for the witnessing of documents. Ms Maher said more than 70 per cent of the service's clients were impacted by family violence in 2023-24. "It is a huge concern, particularly in our region, where we are seeing an increase in the incidents of family violence," she said. Online applications can be made and police can assist but Ms Maher says that can be challenging for victim-survivors. "Many of our clients don't want to go to police, or … prefer to do it themselves," she said. "A lot of our clients and community members don't have access to a phone or a laptop … if they're not able to get online and complete an application then they might go without. "These [changes] might be another barrier to them getting the assistance they need." Ms Maher also raised concerns about a shift towards delivering services remotely or online. "The idea that we can just move services to a remote setting is a fallacy," she said. On non-sitting days the MCV website directs people to the closest open courthouse. For Wangaratta residents that is Shepparton Magistrates' Court, almost 100 kilometres away. "Driving from Wangaratta to Shepparton, which is over an hour on some pretty tricky roads … puts people at a real disadvantage, particularly in regional areas," Ms Maher said. The journey can take several hours on public transport. An MCV spokesperson said people could access support by phoning or emailing the court on non-sitting days. "All phone calls made to magistrates' courts across Victoria are answered by the MCV service centre, which provides administrative support for courts statewide," the spokesperson said. "This process has not changed and was established in 2022." The move to a remote setting will not impact local staff and no changes will be made to existing sitting days. "This model provides the staff with time to prepare listings for future sitting days and do other registry work," the spokesperson said. "On non-sitting days, judicial officers are allocated to other locations within the region to hear court matters within those local communities." Non-sitting days for the remainder of 2025 are listed on the MCV website, along with contact details for remote court services.
