Steps to obtaining a trial date

Please Note: The below information relates only to matters being heard in the District or Supreme Courts in Brisbane. For matters being heard in regional courthouses, please contact the relevant courthouse directly for the procedure on how to obtain a trial date.

Follow the steps below to obtain a trial date in the District or Supreme Courts.

District Court

To request a trial date in the District Court:

  1. File Form 48 - Request for trial date (DOC, 89.5 KB) at the registry counter on ground level, QEII Courts of Law or via post.
  2. If the trial is expected to take more than 1 day, pay the relevant setting down and hearing fee when filing the request (if the proceeding was commenced by claim) or the earlier of ten business days after trial dates are allocated or the first day of the hearing (if the proceeding was commenced by originating application). You may apply to the registrar to have the fee reduced if paying the fee is likely to cause hardship.
  3. If your application can’t be dealt with in the two hour time limit and parties agree on potential dates for the matter to be allocated a day in the civil trial list, email the District Court civil list manager at dc-civillistmanager@justice.qld.gov.au.
  4. Alternatively, if parties cannot agree on the relisting of an application which will exceed two hours, file Form 9 - Application (UCPR) (DOC, 45.5 KB) to obtain a trial date from a judge. Email the District Court civil list manager for available trial dates before the matter is heard by a judge.

Supreme Court

To obtain a trial date in the Supreme Court:

  1. Contact the Civil List Manager in writing (by email to civillistmanager@justice.qld.gov.au) for current availability on the Civil Trials and Hearings list. To assist the List Manager with your enquiry, please indicate:
    • the proceeding for which availability is being sought, and;
    • the estimated time/number of hearing days required.
  2. File a Form 48 - Request for trial date (DOC, 89.5 KB) in the registry and nominate 3 dates on the form. You should also state any periods of time that are not suitable.
  3. If the trial is expected to take more than 1 day:
    1. pay the setting down and hearing fee when filing the request (if the proceeding was commenced by claim) or the earlier of ten business days after trial dates are allocated or the first day of the hearing (if the proceeding was commenced by originating application). If paying the fee is likely to cause hardship, you may apply to the registrar to have the fee reduced.
    2. you will be required to attend a case management conference. You will be notified of the conference by email. At the conference, trial dates will be allocated.
  4. If the trial is expected to take one day or less, contact the civil list manager by email to CivilListManager@justice.qld.gov.au (copied to the other parties to the proceeding). Request a trial date and provide the suitable dates agreed by the parties.

If you don’t have a computer or internet access:

  1. Contact the civil list manager by mail to PO Box 15167, City East Qld 4002.
  2. The civil list manager will advise you of available dates for the trial.
  3. Choose 3 dates suitable for all parties and advise the civil list manager in writing.
  4. The civil list manager may list the matter for trial.

Contacts

If you have any queries or problems, contact the appropriate person below:

Last reviewed
3 March 2025
Last updated
3 March 2025