What can registry staff do for me?
Registry staff are there to help you. It is important that Court Registry Services are fair to everyone; therefore staff can only help you in certain ways. The following table attempts to illustrate services that can and cannot be provided by Registry staff.

We can explain and answer questions about how the Court works and give you general information about Court rules, procedures and practices.	We cannot give you legal advice. Only a Legal practitioner can give you legal advice. This must be a Solicitor or Barrister not employed in the Court.
We can give you information on court procedures that need to be followed to file a case at the Supreme Court.	We cannot tell you whether or not you should bring your case to Court, as this requires some assessment of the merits of your case.
We can give you some information from your case file	We cannot discuss or give you an opinion about what will happen if you bring your case to Court.
We can provide you with a list of Legal Services and Resource centres	We cannot recommend a Solicitor, but we can provide you with a telephone number of a local Solicitor Referral Service.
We can provide you with Court and Registry forms that are available	We cannot tell what words to use in Court or when completing a Court document.
We can usually answer questions about Court deadlines	We cannot talk to the Judge for you.
We can tell you what sort of work each of the Divisions does to help you decide which one to commence your action in.	We cannot change an order issued by a Judge or Registrar.
We can tell you what might happen if you commence an action in the wrong Division	We cannot advise the Division to commence an action in.
We can refer you to our Duty Registrar Service if Counter staff are unable to assist in certain circumstances
We can provide Court lists and information on how to get a matter listed before the Court
We can let you know why it may not be appropriate to endeavour to speak or write to a Judge
We can deliver something to a Judge for you

May I speak with a judge?
The judge or registrar cannot speak to you about your case except when your case is being heard and all parties involved in the case are present (i.e., at a hearing). If you are seeking assistance with a legal problem, you should consult with a solicitor. Judges and court personnel are prohibited from giving legal advice. If you want to give the judge information pertinent to a case or you want the judge to take some action related to a case, you must:

1) put the request in writing
2) file it in the Supreme Court Registry
3) provide copies to the other parties in the case

If an emergency prohibits you from attending a hearing on time (e.g., you’re ill or you have last minute car problems), you should immediately call the Registry or the judge’s associate. Court staff will write down the message and contact the judge. If you are unable to attend court due to illness, a copy of the doctor’s certificate will need to be sent to the Judge. The judge will decide whether the relisting of the matter will be granted.

If you want to request an adjournment of a hearing for other reasons, you must submit your request in writing, by either filing a notice of motion with the Court Registry or forwarding a letter to the list clerk. The request will then be referred to a judge. In any request for an adjournment, it is important that you confirm you have discussed the adjournment with the other parties involved, and you also indicate whether or not they agree to your proposal.


If I have questions about court procedures or the law, can I ask court staff?
The Supreme Court Registry is interested in better serving the public. One way to do this is to provide people with useful information about the court system and court procedure. However, court staff and judges must follow ethical rules concerning impartiality and legal and ethical constraints concerning legal advice.

Court personnel may explain basic procedures, provide standard forms, and answer questions about deadlines and the completion of certain forms. This means that judges and staff cannot advise people on whether to bring problems to the court or what remedies they should seek.

This arises from the concern that judges and court employees not use their position in the court to give an individual an unfair advantage in court.


How do I find a solicitor to handle my case?
Court staff are not allowed to recommend specific solicitors. We suggest that you contact the Law Society, NSW Bar Association’s referral service for information on available Solicitors.

You might also check the yellow pages in the phone book or ask your friends or family for a recommendation.

The 'Where to obtain legal advice and/or information' factsheet also lists some helpful resources regarding possible sources of legal advice.