Version No. 017
Open Courts Act 2013
No. 58 of 2013
Version incorporating amendments as at
30 September 2025
TABLE OF PROVISIONS
Section Page
Part 1—Preliminary
1Purposes
2Commencement
3Definitions
4Principle of open justice prevails unless circumstances require displacement
5Abrogation of common law and no implied jurisdiction
6Jurisdiction and powers of courts and tribunals to deal with contempt
7Admission of evidence and disclosure of information to a court or tribunal or party to a proceeding
8Other laws restricting or prohibiting publication not affected
8AHanding down and delivering judgments by electronic communication does not contravene rules of law relating to open justice
8BCertain measures in relation to proceeding or hearing do not contravene rules of law relating to open justice
8CCourt may restrict or prohibit publication of transcript provided under section 8B
Part 2—General provisions for suppression orders
9Application of Part
10Notice of applications for suppression orders
11Notifications to relevant news media organisations
12Duration of orders
13Scope of information covered by order
14Order must be made on basis of evidence or sufficient credible information
14AStatement of reasons for making a suppression order
15Review of orders
16Duty to publish reasons, judgments or decisions
Part 3—Proceeding suppression orders
17Court or tribunal may make proceeding suppression order
18Grounds for proceeding suppression order
19Procedure for making a proceeding suppression order
20Interim orders
21Where a proceeding suppression order applies
22Exceptions for conduct of proceeding, enforcement or informing persons of existence of proceeding suppression orders or interim orders
23Offence to contravene proceeding suppression order or interim order
Part 4—Broad suppression orders
24Application of this Part
25County Court may grant injunction restraining publication in relation to criminal proceeding
26Magistrates' Court may make order prohibiting publication of specified material
27Offence to contravene order under section 26(1)
Part 5—Closed court orders
28Principle of open justice and hearings in open court
29Jurisdiction and powers of courts and tribunals to regulate proceedings
30Power to close proceeding to the public
31Requirement to post notice of closed court order on door of court or tribunal
32Offence to contravene closed court order
Part 6—General
33Regulations
Part 7—Transitional provisions
34Transitional
35Power to resolve transitional difficulties in proceeding
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Endnotes
1 General information
2 Table of Amendments
3 Explanatory details
Version No. 017
Open Courts Act 2013
No. 58 of 2013
Version incorporating amendments as at
30 September 2025
The Parliament of Victoria enacts:
PART 1—PRELIMINARY
1Purposes
The main purposes of this Act are to—
(aa)recognise and promote the principle that open justice is a fundamental aspect of the Victorian legal system which—
(i)maintains the integrity and impartiality of courts and tribunals; and
(ii)strengthens public confidence in the system of justice;
(a)reform and consolidate provisions for suppression orders relating to information derived from proceedings applicable to the Supreme Court, the County Court, the Magistrates' Court, the Coroners Court, the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal and other prescribed courts and tribunals;
(b)reform and consolidate provisions for suppression orders relating to other information relevant to, but not derived from, certain proceedings in the County Court and the Magistrates' Court;