The following administrative arrangements will apply to the listing and case management of matters in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Registry of the Federal Court of Australia. This Notice takes effect on 2 February 2009 and replaces the Notices to Litigants and Practitioners (ACT 2005/01) dated 1 December 2005 and (ACT 2008/01) dated 4 February 2008.

The Court has a panel of Judges to whose dockets matters filed in the ACT Registry of the Court are allocated. The ACT Panel Judges are: Bennett, Buchanan, Emmett, Flick, Graham, Moore, Rares, Perram and Stone JJ. Other Judges will also sit as required. Justice Stone is also the ACT List Judge.

The ACT List Judge will conduct a regular Directions List. (The list dates are available from the ACT District Registry). Generally, matters filed in the ACT Registry will initially be made returnable in the ACT Directions List. Depending on the nature of the application, the ACT List Judge may also deal with notices of motion, further directions and such other applications as are appropriate in the ACT Directions List.

The final hearing of cases, the hearing of lengthy Notices of Motion or of other interlocutory applications will be by special fixture.

Registrar’s List

A Registrar’s Bankruptcy, Corporations, Subpoena and Directions list is held monthly, however, matters can be listed by videoconference or phone at other times as required. A schedule of Registrar’s list dates is issued by the Registry each year and is available through the Court’s website – www.fedcourt.gov.au

All listing or other enquiries in regard to any hearing in a proceeding or proposed proceeding should be directed to the staff of the ACT Registry on (02) 6267 0566.

Special arrangements will be made on an individual basis to deal with any application that is so urgent that it cannot be satisfactorily accommodated within the ordinary system of filing and listing of cases in the ACT Registry.  Such applications could include relief for:

• abridgment of time for service of originating process
• interlocutory injunctions to operate pending the final hearing and determination of a proceedings
• asset preservation orders
• Anton Pillar orders
• urgent applications under a provision of the Corporations Act 2001 and the Australian Securities and Investment Commission Act 2001.

During business hours enquiries in relation to urgent matters should be directed to the ACT Registry on (02) 6267 0566. Outside business hours (including on weekends and public holidays), inquirers with urgent matters should contact the Security Desk of the Law Courts Building in Sydney on telephone number (02) 9230 8025. The Security Desk will refer any inquirer to the Duty Registrar who will then make arrangements to communicate with a Judge and liaise with the applicant for urgent orders.

eSearch, eFiling and eCourt

Details about matters filed in the Court including information about hearing dates and orders made are available online through the Court’s website – www.fedcourt.gov.au  under the headings “eCourt” and then “Federal Law Search (eSearch)”. Alternatively, such information may be accessed directly through the Commonwealth Courts Portal – www.comcourts.gov.au – under “Federal Law Search”.

The Court also has facilities for electronic filing of documents (eFiling) and for the conduct of appropriate matters by eCourt.  Further information on these facilities can also be found on the Court’s website.

Issuing of entered and sealed Court orders

The Court’s online Federal Law Search database includes the text of many Court orders.  Rather than submitting hardcopy orders for settlement and entry, parties are encouraged to check Federal Law Search for the relevant order and then request a sealed and entered order by contacting the ACT Registry in person or by phone on 6267 0566, by fax on 6267 0625 or by email to actman@fedcourt.gov.au specifying the file number and name as well as the date of the required order.

Michael Wall 
District Registrar
(ACT Registry)
2 February 2009