Services offered by the Offices of the Registry 

The Principal Registry of the High Court of Australia is located at the seat of the Court in Canberra.  There are offices of the Registry at the capital city of each State and in Darwin.  

The Principal Registry and the offices in Sydney and Melbourne are staffed by High Court staff.  The Registry services in Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and Darwin are provided by staff of the Federal Court of Australia.  Registry services in Hobart are provided by the Supreme Court of Tasmania.

Most of your contact with the Court will be with the Registry staff, therefore it is important for you to understand what staff can and cannot do to help you prepare your case. 

Most importantly, Registry staff are not permitted to give you legal advice. 
What we can do 
•	We can briefly explain and answer questions about how the Court works, its practices and procedures. 
•	We can tell you what forms you may need to use and provide you with examples of some of the forms.
•	We can give you examples of Court forms. These are also available on the Court’s website. 
•	We can check your forms and other court papers for completeness (for example, we check for signatures, and that attachments are present).
•	We can give you information about how to apply for an exemption from  court fees or how to apply to pay the financial hardship fee.
•	We can give you information on how your matter will be managed and what steps may be involved in getting the matter ready.
•	We can provide Court lists.
•	We can give you information about interpreters.
•	We can provide you with some details of organisations which may be able to provide you with free or low-cost legal advice or assistance.
What we cannot do
•	We cannot give you legal advice.
•	We cannot tell you whether or not you should bring your case to Court. We strongly advise you to seek legal advice before commencing a proceeding or appearing for yourself in a proceeding brought by someone else.
•	We cannot recommend a certain lawyer to act on your behalf.
•	We cannot tell you what words to use in your court papers such as forms and affidavits.
•	We cannot tell you what to say in court.
•	We cannot tell you what the decision of the Court will be or give you an opinion about what it might be.
•	We cannot change an order once it has been made by the Court.
•	We cannot let you communicate with a Judge, other than at a hearing.