NEW SOUTH WALES

Boggabilla DUI Lawyers

In shortBoorman Lawyers are experienced, dedicated drink driving, drug driving and DUI lawyers who regularly appear at Boggabilla Local Court and represent clients facing alcohol, drug and serious traffic charges at this courthouse. A drink or drug driving charge laid on the NSW side of the Macintyre River is a NSW charge. It goes to Boggabilla Local Court, which sits on the first Wednesday of the month, and it is decided under the Road Transport Act 2013 (NSW), wherever you live and whichever state issued your licence. We assist clients at Boggabilla Local Court by appearing at court mentions, guilty pleas and sentencing hearings, preparing comprehensive sentencing submissions and character reference material, advising on licence disqualification periods and mandatory alcohol interlock rules under New South Wales law, and preparing Section 10 non-conviction applications.

Court: Boggabilla Local Court, Merriwa Street, Boggabilla NSW 2409 (PO Box 14, Moree). Phone 1300 679 272. Sits the first Wednesday of each month.
Border rule: NSW law decides the charge. Goondiwindi is a Queensland court and cannot hear it.
Licence: police can suspend a NSW licence, or an interstate driver's authority to drive in NSW, on the spot.

New South Wales law · law checked 20 Oct 2026

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What's on this page

Why check drink driving myths at Boggabilla?

Because it is a border town. Boggabilla sits on the southern bank of the Macintyre River, a few minutes from Goondiwindi, and the Newell Highway carries a steady stream of heavy transport and interstate travellers through the middle of town. People live on one side of the river, work or shop on the other, and hear different versions of "what happens" from friends in two states. A lot of avoidable trouble starts with a myth that sounded reasonable at the pub or over the fence.

This page takes several of them and checks each against the law that actually decides a Boggabilla charge: the Road Transport Act 2013 (NSW). It is a New South Wales page only. Where Queensland comes up, it is named so you know where you stand, not to explain Queensland law.

Which border myths cause the most damage?

Myth 1: "I live in Queensland, so Queensland law applies."

Fact: The law of the place where you drove decides the charge. If police stopped you on the NSW side of the river and charged you, the offence is a NSW offence under the Road Transport Act 2013, and it is listed at Boggabilla Local Court. Your home address, your employer and the state that issued your licence do not change that. The penalty ranges, minimum disqualifications and interlock rules on this page are the ones the Magistrate must apply.

Myth 2: "My licence is from another state, so a NSW suspension can't touch it."

Fact: NSW police do not need to hold your licence to stop you driving in NSW. For a mid range, high range, drug-affected or refusal charge, an officer can give you an immediate licence suspension notice. If you hold an interstate licence, section 224(4)(b) of the Act says the notice suspends your authority to drive in New South Wales until the charge is decided. Driving in NSW during that period is a separate offence. NSW law also treats a disqualification or suspension imposed by any court in Australia as one you must obey when driving in NSW (section 54(11)). What a NSW order means for the licence issued by your home state is a question for that state's licensing authority, so raise it with your lawyer before you make plans.

Myth 3: "Goondiwindi court is closer, so I'll ask for it to be heard there."

Fact: Goondiwindi Magistrates Court is a Queensland court. It has no power to hear a NSW charge, however close it is. A Boggabilla charge stays in the NSW Local Court system. If the date on your court attendance notice is a problem, the answer is an adjournment request or advice about appearing another way, not a transfer across the river.

What myths do people believe about penalties?

Myth 4: "Low range is just a fine."

Fact: Sometimes, but not always, and never without consequences for your licence. Police can deal with a first novice, special or low range offence by a penalty notice ($722 at the date checked), and the same section that allows on-the-spot suspensions, section 224(1)(a1), lets them suspend your licence or NSW driving authority for 3 months. If you are charged instead and convicted in court, the Act imposes a 6-month disqualification automatically, and the court can reduce it to no less than 3 months. A second offence within 5 years is treated much more seriously, and a prior penalty notice counts towards that (section 9(2A)).

Myth 5: "In a small town the Magistrate will go easy on locals."

Fact: Every NSW Local Court applies the same Act and the same sentencing principles. A Magistrate sitting at Boggabilla must impose the minimum disqualification and interlock periods that the law requires, and must weigh community safety on a busy highway. What a court can take into account is genuine, evidenced hardship: the distance to work, the absence of public transport, caring duties and the effect on your job. That is why preparation matters more than where you live.

Myth 6: "A section 10 is easy to get for a first offence."

Fact: The court has power under section 10 of the Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 to dismiss the charge or make a conditional release order without conviction. Without a conviction, the automatic disqualification does not apply. But it is a discretion, not an entitlement. The court looks at your record, character, age, the seriousness of the offence and any extenuating circumstances. It is unavailable if you had a section 10 for a similar offence in the previous 5 years (section 203). The higher the reading, the harder it becomes. Our guide to a no conviction outcome in NSW explains what the court weighs.

What myths about interlocks and refusals are wrong?

Myth 7: "Interlock is only for repeat offenders."

Fact: A conviction for mid range PCA (0.08 to under 0.15), high range PCA (0.15 or more), DUI, or refusing a breath analysis is a mandatory interlock offence even the first time. The court makes an interlock order: a shorter disqualification, then a period driving only a vehicle fitted with an approved device. For a first mid range offence that means 3 to 6 months off the road, then at least 12 months on an interlock. For first high range or DUI it is 6 to 9 months, then at least 24 months. A second low range offence within 5 years also becomes a mandatory interlock offence. The NSW alcohol interlock guide covers fitting, costs and licence steps.

Myth 8: "Living out here gets you out of the interlock."

Fact: No. Transport for NSW states that you cannot apply for an exemption order because you live in a regional or remote area (TfNSW Alcohol Interlock Program). Exemptions are limited to narrow grounds, such as having no access to a vehicle or a medical condition, and severe hardship only for a first mid range offence. Distance does affect the practicalities. TfNSW says service visits are usually every 30 or 60 days, or every 90 days if you live a long way from a provider. If you do not join the program after an interlock order, you face a 5-year disqualification.

Myth 9: "If I refuse the breath test, they can't prove a reading."

Fact: Refusing or failing to provide a sample for breath analysis is an offence in its own right, and the law deliberately treats it as seriously as high range PCA, including mandatory interlock. Refusing the roadside test is a separate offence again. There is no reading to argue about, and no lower range to fall into.

What myths about court day trip people up?

Myth 10: "The courthouse is always open, so I can sort it out when I'm ready."

Fact: Boggabilla Local Court sits on the first Wednesday of the month. The registry is open 9.30am to 1.00pm and 2.00pm to 3.00pm, and the phone line (1300 679 272) runs 8.30am to 4.30pm. Mail goes to PO Box 14, Moree, the same box as the Moree courthouse. With only one sitting a month, missing a date or arriving unprepared can push your matter back by four weeks or more, and any immediate suspension keeps running in the meantime. If you live far away, ask early whether you can appear by audio visual link. The courthouse has AVL facilities, but the court decides whether a particular matter can proceed that way.

Which drink and drug driving charges are heard at Boggabilla?

The same range of offences as any NSW Local Court:

Novice range (learner and provisional drivers, any alcohol from 0.00 up to 0.02) and special range (0.02 to under 0.05 for heavy vehicle, public passenger and some other drivers). Heavy vehicles use the Newell Highway, so the special range limit is relevant here.
Low range (0.05 to under 0.08), mid range (0.08 to under 0.15) and high range (0.15 and above).
Driving under the influence of alcohol or another drug (section 112), where police rely on observations of impairment rather than a reading.
Presence of a prescribed illicit drug in oral fluid, blood or urine (section 111): THC, methylamphetamine, MDMA or cocaine. Impairment does not have to be shown. See our NSW drug driving guide.
Refusing or failing to provide a breath, oral fluid or blood sample.
Driving while suspended or disqualified, which can follow an earlier drink driving matter.

What are the maximum penalties under NSW law?

The figures below are the first-offence maximums, at $110 per penalty unit. The court can impose less than the maximum fine. It cannot go below the minimum disqualification or interlock periods unless it deals with the matter without conviction.

Charge	Most the court can fine you	Prison possible?	What happens to your licence on conviction
Novice, special or low range	$2,200	No	6 months off the road automatically; the court may reduce this to 3 months
Mid range	$2,200	Up to 9 months	Interlock order: 3–6 months' disqualification, then 12 months or more on the device
High range	$3,300	Up to 18 months	Interlock order: 6–9 months' disqualification, then 24 months or more on the device
DUI	$3,300	Up to 18 months	Interlock order if alcohol was involved, the same as high range
Prescribed illicit drug present	$2,200	No	6 months off the road automatically; the court may reduce this to 3 months

A repeat offence within 5 years roughly doubles the stakes: higher fines and prison maximums, longer minimum periods and longer interlock orders. You also have to pass the Driver Knowledge Test before you can be licensed again. The complete tables are in our NSW drink driving penalties guide, and each offence is explained in the NSW drink driving offences pillar. Transport for NSW publishes its own summary on its drink and drug driving penalties page.

How do you prepare when the court only sits once a month?

Work backwards from your court date and treat it as fixed. Things that take a day in a city can take weeks around Boggabilla.

Read the court attendance notice carefully. Check the charge, the reading, the date and the court. Confirm it says Boggabilla, not Moree.
Check whether you were suspended on the spot. If you were, do not drive in NSW until the suspension ends or the charge is decided. Ask about a suspension appeal early. The court can only lift a suspension where exceptional circumstances justify it, and the appeal must be filed before the charge is decided.
Decide on your plea with advice. If the facts sheet is wrong, or something about the testing looks unusual, it needs to be raised before the first sitting, not on the day.
Enrol in a Traffic Offenders Program. Check that the course and format are ones the court will accept before you pay.
Collect references. Two or three people who know you well, know about the charge and say so in the letter. In a small community, specific detail carries weight.
Get an employer letter. For truck drivers, farm workers and anyone crossing the river for work each day, a letter describing the job, the distances and what happens without a licence is often the most useful document you can bring.
Document your hardship. Distances to work, school, medical appointments and family, and the lack of public transport between towns.
Plan for the interlock if it will apply. Find the nearest approved provider and build servicing trips into your work roster.
Plan how you get home. If the court disqualifies you, the disqualification usually starts that day.

Which courts are near Boggabilla?

Moree drink driving matters – Frome Street, about 108 km south on the Newell Highway. Its registry also handles Boggabilla's mail. Open Monday to Friday (Friday mornings only).
Inverell DUI charges – Otho Street, about 149 km south-east. Open Monday to Friday.
Tenterfield court representation – about 169 km east.
Nearby court in Queensland: Goondiwindi Magistrates Court is about 8 km away. It hears Queensland charges only, and Queensland law is different. This page covers NSW only.

Other NSW locations are listed in our NSW courts we attend directory.

Boggabilla DUI Case Review Video

To better understand how the court approaches real cases, you can watch our case review video from a recent matter at Boggabilla Local Court. In that case we acted for a driver charged with a middle range drink driving offence on the outskirts of town and were able to present a detailed background that assisted the Magistrate in reaching a fair outcome.

For more video case reviews and explanations of NSW traffic law, visit BoormanLawyers.tv on YouTube .

Boggabilla DUI Case Review

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Boggabilla drink driving FAQs

Where is Boggabilla Local Court and when does it sit?

It is in Merriwa Street, Boggabilla NSW 2409, and it sits on the first Wednesday of each month. On sitting days the registry is open 9.30am to 1.00pm and 2.00pm to 3.00pm. The phone line, 1300 679 272, operates 8.30am to 4.30pm. The postal address is PO Box 14, Moree NSW 2400.

I was charged just over the bridge. Which side of the river matters?

The side where you were driving when police stopped you. A stop on the NSW side is a NSW charge heard at Boggabilla; a stop on the Queensland side is a Queensland matter, and you need advice on Queensland law instead.

Can I keep driving with my Queensland licence while the charge is pending?

Not in NSW if police gave you an immediate suspension notice. Under section 224(4)(b), the notice suspends your authority to drive in NSW until the charge is decided. Whether anything else follows for your home licence is a matter for your licensing authority, so get advice before you drive anywhere.

I tested positive for cannabis but felt fine. Is that still an offence?

Yes. The section 111 offence is about the presence of THC, methylamphetamine, MDMA or cocaine in your oral fluid, blood or urine, not about whether you were affected. A first offence carries a fine of up to $2,200 and an automatic disqualification unless the court deals with it without conviction.

What if my court date is the one Wednesday I can't attend?

Tell your lawyer or the registry well before the date. Because the court sits monthly, an adjournment usually means waiting for the next sitting, so the reason and supporting evidence need to be ready. Do not simply stay away. If you do not appear, the court can deal with the matter in your absence or issue a warrant.

Does the interlock still apply if I live in Queensland?

An interlock order is part of the NSW sentence, and NSW sets the rules for completing it. How that works for someone licensed in another state is a practical question to raise with your lawyer and Transport for NSW before sentence.

Sources and date checked

Sources and references for this page, checked 20 Oct 2026.

Local Court of NSW – Court locations B (Boggabilla) — checked 19 Oct 2026
Local Court of NSW – Court locations M (Moree) — checked 19 Oct 2026
Road Transport Act 2013 (NSW) – current version (ss 9, 54(11), 108, 110, 111, 203, 205, 209–212, 224(1)(a1), 224(4)(b)) — checked 20 Oct 2026
Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW) – s 10 — checked 20 Oct 2026
NSW Government (Transport for NSW) – Alcohol Interlock Program — checked 20 Oct 2026
NSW Government (Transport for NSW) – Drink and drug driving penalties — checked 20 Oct 2026

This page is general information about New South Wales law only. It is not legal advice. Every matter turns on its own facts.

Boggabilla Local Court — court details

Boggabilla Local Court

Street: Merriwa Street, Boggabilla NSW 2409
Postal: PO Box 14, Moree NSW 2400
Phone: 1300 679 272
Registry hours: Registry 9.30am – 1.00pm and 2.00pm – 3.00pm on sitting days; telephone 8.30am – 4.30pm
Days open: First Wednesday of the month
Facilities: Audio visual link (AVL) facilities

➜ Get directions

Local Court of NSW, Court locations – B (localcourt.nsw.gov.au), saved 19 Oct 2026. Official fax (07) 4676 2347 not published on this page. These are the court registry's details, not Boorman Lawyers office details. Check your court papers for your listing time and courtroom.

NSW Traffic Law

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Guides for New South Wales traffic law matters.

NSWDrink Driving OffencesRead guide →NSWDrink Driving PenaltiesRead guide →NSWDrink Driving DefencesRead guide →NSWDrug Driving Offences & PenaltiesRead guide →NSWHigh Range PCA Guideline JudgmentRead guide →NSWLicence Suspension AppealRead guide →NSWAlcohol Interlock LawsRead guide →NSWNo Conviction Drink DrivingRead guide →NSWTraffic Offenders ProgramRead guide →NSWDUI Court Process GuideRead guide →NSWDangerous DrivingRead guide →NSWDisqualified DrivingRead guide →

Enquire about legal representation

Call 1300 941 900 or make an enquiry about legal representation.

What to have ready

Court & next listing date: Which court is on your paperwork and when your matter is listed.
Charge or reading (if known): Tell us the charge or reading if you have it — you do not need your full police facts yet.
Work & driving needs: Let us know if you rely on your licence for work or family responsibilities.

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