Rules of Court
The above is a link to the Federal Register of Legislation website with access to the current consolidated Rules.
Information for filing
Registry Services & Support
For Registry services and support please contact us by email at
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. Face to face services are no longer provided at the Registry Counter.
Documents for cases should be lodged through the HCA DLS Portal, more information on the DLS Portal is available here: https://www.hcourt.gov.au/digital-lodgment-system/digital-lodgment-system-information
The office hours of the Registry shall be from 9.00 am to 1.00 pm and 2.00 pm to 5.00 pm. Documents must be lodged by 4.00 pm Monday to Friday to be filed on that day, any act done after 4.00 pm on a day shall be taken to have been done on the next day on which the Registry is open.
The Court issued Practice Direction No. 1 of 2020 Electronic Filing of Documents - Cases Commenced before 1 January 2020 on 20 March 2020.
Special leave process
The Court revised the process for the consideration of applications for special leave to appeal, applications for leave and applications for removal in November 2023. The Court also changed the timing and manner of publication of its decisions in relation to these applications. More information is available here: Special Leave Process
HCA Video Connection Hearings - PROTOCOL
Protocol for HCA Video Connection Hearings (PDF 34k) (RTF 124k)
Digital Lodgment System Portal
In 2020 the High Court of Australia moved from a paper-based Court to one that provides for the electronic lodgment of Court documents.
The Digital Lodgment System Portal (DLS Portal) is an external facing portal that allows legal firms, legal practitioners and self-represented litigants to register, file documents, receive notifications and track the progress of their cases around the clock.
The system provides for mandatory electronic lodgment of all documents filed in any case commenced after 1 January 2020. Register with a simple 3 step process of email verification, registration and approval by the Registry dls.hcourt.gov.au.
Further information about filing in the DLS Portal is available here.