Magistrates Court dates, directions and orders

In Services and online actions

In Queensland, lawyers or prosecuting agencies can apply online to the Magistrates Court to change a court date, seek a direction, or request an order.

These online applications can only be made for adult and Childrens Court criminal matters that have a current listing date before the Magistrates Court.

This page explains what you can apply for, how to apply, and what happens after you submit your application.

What you can apply for

You can apply online for the following:

Type of application	Description
Adjournment	To postpone a court date (excluding adjournments of hearings).
Bringing a matter forward	To request an earlier court date for a listed matter.
Hearing date	For applications such as bail applications or directions hearings.
Sentence date	For short pleas, lengthy pleas, or contested sentences.
Court direction	For example, a direction for the provision of a brief of evidence.
Court order	For example, variations to bail conditions or non-contact order.
Change of court location	For guilty pleas only.

Before you apply

Before applying:

ensure the criminal matter has a current listing date
check you are able to apply online (see below)
obtain consent from the other party (prosecution or defence) for the proposed change or request.

How to apply online

1. Complete all mandatory fields in the Magistrates Courts form.

2. Attach supporting documentation, such as:

medical certificates (e.g. for adjournments due to health reasons)
affidavits or statutory declarations
correspondence confirming the other party’s consent.

3. Submit the form online before the deadline (4pm, two clear business days before the current listed court date).

See Childrens Court Practice Direction 1 of 2021 - Online Court Event Applications and Magistrates Court Practice Direction 7 of 2020 for further information.

If you miss the deadline

Applications received after the deadline will not be processed. You’ll be required to attend court on the date originally set.

Browser compatibility

When applying online, avoid using Internet Explorer, as it may cause performance issues.

Use a compatible browser such as Google Chrome, Firefox, or Edge.

What happens after you apply

Once your application is submitted, a magistrate will review it and decide whether to grant the change, direction or order sought. There are three possible outcomes:

Outcome	What happens
Application granted	You’ll receive an email confirming the new court event, date, or order. Depending on the nature of the order, you may not need to appear in court.
Application refused	You’ll receive an email advising of the refusal. You must attend court on the original date and comply with any directions given.
No response received	If you don’t receive an email, you must attend court on the original date as scheduled.

If the defendant fails to appear

If the defendant is required to appear in court but doesn’t, a warrant may be issued for their arrest.

When you can’t apply online

You can’t apply online if:

you’re self-represented (this is where you don’t have a lawyer when you go to court)
the matter is not a criminal matter
you’re seeking an order for a pre-sentence report in the Childrens Court.

What to do instead

If you’re not eligible to apply online (or cannot apply due to technical issues), you can instead email the relevant court registry.

Your email should include as much information as possible about what you’re asking the court to do.

The same deadline applies to emailed applications (4pm, two clear business days before the current listed court date).