Legal Aid NSW is seeking expressions of interest from solicitors who are current members of the Back Up Duty Scheme (BUDS) or Duty Solicitor Scheme (DSS) and wish to continue providing duty bail services to adults through the new Virtual Bail Court.
With the passage of the Bail and Other Legislation Amendment (Domestic Violence) Act 2024, the Local Court has begun centralising Bail Courts to streamline bail matters previously handled by Registrars. To facilitate this transition, the Local Court has established a dedicated Bail Division to oversee all adult bail-related proceedings.
Please note that this centralised virtual model will initially affect adults who appear in Local Courts across Regional NSW, Newtown, and Waverley only. The full centralisation of the Sydney Weekday Bail Court has not commenced, meaning work opportunities for Sydney practitioners for Virtual Bail Court will remain limited until the full Sydney Metro rollout.
Stages of centralisation
| Stage | Location | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Weekend Bail Court | Parramatta Children’s Court | Complete |
| Regional Weekday Bail Court (includes Newtown & Waverley) | Downing Centre Local Court | July 2025 |
| Weekend Bail Court relocation | Downing Centre Local Court | January 2026 |
| Sydney Weekday Bail Court | Downing Centre Local Court | TBC |
Further information
Regional Weekday Bail Courts
