The courthouse is located on Hospital Road and is very close to the town centre.
The bus station is approximately 200 yards from the courthouse; the bus station is in Union Street. For information about bus and rail timetables contact Translink on 028 9066 6630 or www.translink.co.uk
There is no car parking at the courthouse, but there is a car park located in Union Road, located 250 yards from the courthouse. There is limited on street parking on Hospital Road.
The building is open from 9.00am on days when courts are sitting. The office
is open to the public from 9.30am to 4.30pm on days when courts are sitting.
Further details of court sitting days can be found on our website at
www.courtsni.gov.uk. 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 for fine payment or other business during lunch.
Refreshment facilities are available at the courthouse and located in the town centre there is a range of coffee shops and restaurants. There is a payphone in the main waiting area. There is a no smoking policy in Magherafelt Courthouse.
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 are no dedicated separate witness waiting areas, but the Customer Services Officer can make arrangements for vulnerable or intimidated witnesses if contacted in advance. Located in the main court building, there is currently a room dedicated to Womens Aid and Victim Support.
The staff in the general office on the ground floor will help with any
queries you may have. There are notice boards outside the courtroom, which
display lists of the daily business. If you require additional information or
need to meet someone on arrival, you can get help from the court office, which
will be open from 9.30am each court day. If you have not already done so, you
may wish to contact a solicitor before coming to 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. The courtroom in Magherafelt has an induction loop system, and our leaflets can also be made available in large print.
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 Magherafelt courthouse please contact:
The Customer Service OfficerAlternatively The Customer Service Officer can be contacted at:
The Courthouse,This 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.