The courthouse is situated on the Mountsandel Road close to the hospital and Cricket and Rugby Club.
The bus and railway stations are about a mile away from the courthouse. The Coleraine service 119 leaves the bus station at hourly intervals on the half hour (except 3.30pm) and the Loughan service Number 178 departs from and returns to Ballymoney Town Hall. For information about bus and rail timetables contact Translink on 028 9066 6630 or www.translink.co.uk
There is considerable car parking space at the courthouse.
The building is open from 9.00am. The office is open to the public from 9.30am to 4.30pm. The courts generally start at 10.00am, stopping for lunch around 1.00pm and resuming at 2.00pm, until the daily business is finished. The office is open during lunch.
Refreshment facilities are available at the courthouse. There are also a number of cafes and restaurants in the town centre about three quarters of a mile away. The public toilets and public phones are situated on the ground floor.
Care must be taken in the use of mobile phones whilst in the precincts of the court. It is prohibited to use any photographic or recording device within the court building and the area immediately surrounding it. Some mobile phones are capable of performing this function and therefore you are advised not to use mobile phones for this purpose whilst attending court. Mobile phones must be switched off before entering a courtroom.
Anyone wishing to take notes in court must obtain the judge's prior permission.
If you are a victim or witness for the prosecution, Victim Support Northern Ireland offers a Witness Service at all the Crown and Magistrate' Courts.
Before the Trial: opportunity to talk to someone; pre-trial familiarisation visit to court; information on court procedures.
During the Trial: safe waiting area; liaison with court officers and legal representatives; arrangements for witnesses with special needs; accompanying witnesses into court.
After the Trial: preparing victims for case outcome; encouraging continued contact with Victim Support Community Service; referral on to other agencies.
There is an information desk in the main hall and a tannoy system throughout
the building. There are notice boards outside each courtroom which display lists
of the daily business in each court.
Please note that you must attend court at the time you have been given, although
you may not be called until after this. If you feel you have been waiting too
long, please contact a court official.
If you have a disability or a special need, please contact the Customer Service Officer who will provide you with information on the facilities available. There is a lift available for access to courtrooms 1 & 2 on the first floor and a toilet for disabled people on the ground floor. Courts 1 & 2 have induction loop systems, and our leaflets can also be made available in large print.
There is a room designated for vulnerable and intimidated witnesses on the first floor beside court 1 and a play area for children is located outside court 3. A room for children and vulnerable witnesses giving evidence by video link is located near the General Office in the Administration area on the ground floor and is equipped with toys, a 'Lego' table and TV/video.
If you are aged 14 or over and have to give evidence in court, you will be required either to take a religious oath or 'affirm' that you will tell the truth. The court clerk will ask you which method you want to use, and invite you to repeat after them the appropriate words. A religious oath is a sworn promise to tell the truth and is made on a holy book. An affirmation is a declaration to tell the truth but it is not sworn on a holy book.
For further information on Coleraine Courthouse please contact:
The Customer Service OfficerThis information sheet will be made available in a range of alternative formats. Requests for alternative formats should be made to Communications Group. For further information on other courthouses please contact:
NI Courts and Tribunals Service Communications GroupThe Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service is committed to improving its quality of service to all court users. By making comments about our services, you enable us to improve them. By making a complaint, you enable us to put things right.