Last Updated 1 March 2019

  • Seek legal advice—there are many community legal centres and Legal Aid Queensland offices that provide free legal advice about the applicable law and procedural steps required to pursue or defend proceedings (see the Accessing Legal Assistance and Resolving Disputes chapter).
  • Sit in on a similar type of hearing—the rules of most courts and tribunals allow people to watch proceedings although sometimes the court or tribunal room will be closed to the public if a matter is sensitive.
  • Access information from community legal centres, websites of courts or tribunals, or law libraries—the Supreme Court Library Queensland is open to the public.
  • Make contact with a duty lawyer service, if one is available, on arrival at the court or tribunal on the day of a mention or a hearing to obtain assistance and legal advice; in the family law jurisdiction such a service is provided in the Family Law Courts, by Caxton Legal Centre and Legal Aid Queensland.
  • Make enquiries about the correct manner of addressing the judicial officer to whom you will be required to speak (e.g. ‘Your Honour’ or ‘Registrar’).