Australia · Courts
Court structure of Australia
Every tier of the judiciary, what it hears, and where an appeal goes next.
The hierarchy, top to bottom
- Supreme — High Court of Australia
- Seven justices; constitutional and final appellate jurisdiction.
- Appellate — Full Court of the Federal Court; state Courts of Appeal
- Federal and state appellate benches.
- First instance — Federal Court, Federal Circuit and Family Court, state Supreme Courts
- Concurrent federal and state jurisdiction.
- Lower — District, County and Magistrates’ Courts
- The bulk of civil and criminal work.
- Specialised — Fair Work Commission, AAT-successor tribunals
- Administrative and employment review.
Every court in the hierarchy
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