Indictable offences
Indictable offences are usually more serious offences. An accused person has the right to have their matter determined in a higher court before a judge and/or jury. If you have been charged with an offence, you should seek legal advice.
Indictable offences can range from theft, cause injury and drug offences to more serious matters such as rape, armed robbery, murder and treason. See the Crimes Act 1958 for information about offences deemed as indictable.
Some indictable offences may be heard in the Magistrates' Court by way of summary hearing in the same way as summary offences are heard – your lawyer can advise you if this applies to your offences. See the summary offences page.
Offences that have longer terms of imprisonment or higher maximum fines than what the Magistrates’ Court can impose must be heard by a judge and/or jury in a higher court. Examples of these offences include murder, rape, armed robbery and serious drug offences. See the committal proceedings page for more information.
You should seek legal advice if you have been charged with an indictable offence. See the legal help page for more information.
Resources
This is not a full list of legislation associated with this topic. See the Victorian Government's legislation website for more information.
Related information
