Remote Justices of the Peace Program

The Remote Justice of the Peace (JP) Program enables local community members to be nominated and trained as Justice of the Peace Magistrates under the title ‘Justice of the Peace (Magistrates Court)’. JP Magistrates Courts can hear and decide on a range of matters. The Queensland Government's Remote JP Magistrates Court Program began in 1993 and was created in response to the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody (1991).

The Remote JP Program aims to provide efficient justice to remote locations, to reduce the workload and court time of the sitting magistrates which enables sitting magistrates to hear serious matters from the court list instead of minor or simple offences, which can be heard by the Remote JP Court. The Remote JP Program is effective as it:

• improves Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities’ access to the justice system
• resolves local minor or simple offences matters faster
• uses culturally respectful practices and local knowledge
• helps communities find local solutions to offending.

Evaluation of the Remote JP Program

An independent Evaluation of the Remote Justice of the Peace (JP) Program (PDF, 941KB) was completed in 2010.

Where to find Remote JP courts

The program operates in discrete communities.

Currently, Remote JP courts are active in Cherbourg and Kowanyama.

More information

Find out how to become a JP on the Queensland Government’s website.

Contact us

To learn more about Remote JP programs contact the Indigenous Justice Programs.