Inclusive language at the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria
Creating an inclusive and respectful environment where all court participants are treated equally.
The Magistrates’ Court of Victoria is committed to creating an inclusive and respectful environment where all court participants are treated equally.
To support this, we encourage court participants to share:
-
Their correct pronunciation of names
-
Preferred pronouns (e.g. she/her, he/him, they/them)
-
Preferred titles or forms of address (e.g. Ms, Mr, Mx)
This applies to court participants involved in a court hearing — including legal practitioners, parties, witnesses, interpreters, and counsel.
How to share this information
If you are legally represented, your lawyer should provide this information to the Court on your behalf. Legal practitioners should have and communicate this for all participants in their matter.
If you are not legally represented, the Court may ask for these details during the hearing.
Information can be provided by:
-
A note to the bench clerk on the day
-
Saying it aloud when appearances are announced
By sharing this information, we can help ensure all court participants are respected and addressed appropriately.
