Complete guide
NSW Courts & Justice 2026 — The Complete Sydney Guide
Open justice is one of the oldest civic obligations the press carries, and in Sydney that means steady, careful coverage of the Local, District and Supreme Courts of New South Wales, the Federal Court when it sits in Queens Square, and the appellate work that flows up from them. This guide gathers our continuing reporting on the NSW justice system: significant criminal trials, civil judgments that change how the city works, sentencing reform, coronial inquests, policing policy and the operation of NSW Police, ICAC and the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission. We treat every defendant as innocent until proven guilty and link out to the official judgment whenever one is published — we do not republish judgment text or seal-breaching detail. Start with our latest legal and accountability stories below, and use the topics list to follow longer-running matters. For the daily link-out bulletin of every published NSW judgment, see our dedicated courts feed.
Latest articles on this topic
Johannesburg at a Crossroads: The Critical Decisions That Will Shape Transport for the Next Decade
As the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport faces budget pressures and competing priorities, the city must choose between completing the Rea Vaya expansion, accelerating the Ekurhuleni-Johannesburg rapid rail corridor, or investing in township road networks.
Soweto Parents Voice Frustration Over Teacher Shortages Crippling Local Schools
Community members in South Africa's largest township speak out as chronic staffing crises force schools to merge classes and cut subjects.
City Hall Shuffle: This Week's Political Moves Reshape Johannesburg's Power Dynamics
Fresh mayoral committee reshuffles, service delivery tensions in the inner city, and a R2.4bn budget adjustment signal shifting priorities at the Metro.
Joburg's Green Gamble: How South Africa's Economic Hub Stacks Up Against Global Sustainability Leaders
As major cities worldwide race to meet net-zero targets, Johannesburg is charting its own course—with mixed results that reveal both ambition and infrastructure gaps.
By the Numbers: What Data Reveals About Johannesburg's Shifting Migration Patterns
New census and migration studies paint a complex picture of who is moving to South Africa's largest city—and where they're settling.
Johannesburg's Housing Crisis Takes New Shape as City Council Fast-Tracks Densification Framework
This week's approval of stricter urban planning guidelines signals a dramatic shift in how the city will approach residential development in struggling inner-city precincts.
Braamfontein's Revitalisation Plan Hits Snag as Developer Delays Announced
The week brought mixed fortunes for Johannesburg's inner-city neighbourhoods as one major urban renewal project stalls while community initiatives elsewhere gain momentum.
School Fees, Teacher Strikes, Online Learning: Johannesburg's Education Sector Faces Critical Juncture as Winter Holidays End
As learners prepare to return in July, Gauteng schools must navigate funding shortfalls, labour unrest, and digital transformation—decisions made now will shape the final school term.
What's covered in this guide
- Local, District and Supreme Court of NSW coverage
- Federal Court matters affecting Sydney
- Sentencing, bail and parole policy
- Coronial inquests of public interest
- NSW Police, ICAC and LECC oversight
- Major criminal trials and civil judgments
- Suppression orders and open-justice debates
- Daily linked court bulletin (see /courts)