What is a Court Attendance Notice?

What is a court attendance notice?

A Court Attendance Notice is a formal notice to a person charged with a criminal or traffic offence to attend court to answer the charges.

Court attendance notices can be issued for a wide variety of criminal and traffic offences.

When will I receive a court attendance notice?

You will receive a court attendance notice in the following circumstances:

• From the Police, when you have been charged with a criminal or traffic offence, as an alternative to arresting you and taking you back to the police station;
• If you elect to take an traffic infringement or parking fine to court, you will receive a court attendance notice to appear in court;

What do I do when I receive my court attendance notice?

Once you receive your court attendance notice, you need to make sure that you know when and where you need to attend court. You should then seek legal advice about the charges immediately.

There are many places and organisations where you can get free legal advice. If you cannot afford a private lawyer, you can contact legal aid and they may be able to help you. Alternatively, you can contact a community legal centre. For more information on community legal centres, click here.

It is important that you attend court on time. Courts will require you to be at court at 9.30am.

What should I do if I do not receive my court attendance notice?

If you do not receive your court attendance notice when you are expected, you may wish to check with the Police that they have the right address for you. If the Police who spoke originally was given your correct address, it might just be that he is processing the court attendance notice and has not sent it out to you yet.

It is very rare that Police officers will simply forget or change their minds about charging you!

What happens if I lose my court attendance notice?

If you misplace your court attendance notice, or lose it, it is extremely important that you call the court that you are required to attend, or speak to a solicitor to do so for you.

If you fail to attend court, you could be convicted in your absence, and a warrant could be issued for your arrest.

For more information on what happens if you fail to attend court, and you are convicted in your absence, click here.

Call LY Lawyers, expert Criminal Defence Lawyers, on 1300 595 299 for a free consultation.