NEW SOUTH WALES

Burwood DUI Lawyers

In shortBoorman Lawyers are experienced, dedicated drink driving, drug driving and DUI lawyers who regularly appear at Burwood Local Court and represent clients facing alcohol, drug and serious traffic charges at this courthouse. Burwood Local Court at 7–9 Belmore Street hears drink and drug driving charges from Sydney's inner west. The official list says the court is closed from 5 October and reopens on 14 December 2026, so check your notice and the online court list. We assist clients at Burwood 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: Burwood Local Court, 7–9 Belmore Street, Burwood NSW 2134. Phone 1300 679 272. Registry 9am–4.30pm, Monday to Friday.
Closure: closed from Monday 5 October, reopening Monday 14 December 2026 (official list).
Mid range: a first offence means a mandatory interlock order on conviction – 3 to 6 months off the road, then at least 12 months on an interlock.

New South Wales law · law checked 20 Oct 2026

Call 1300 941 900 Make an enquiry about legal representation

Burwood Local Court courthouse – Boorman Lawyers

What's on this page

Is Burwood Local Court open for my case?

Check before you travel. The official Local Court list gives Burwood's address as 7–9 Belmore Street, Burwood NSW 2134, and notes that the court is closed from Monday 5 October and reopening Monday 14 December 2026. It does not say, in the material we captured, where matters are heard in the meantime. Your court attendance notice, any later letter from the court, and the NSW online court list are what decide where you must go. A building closure does not cancel your case, and you should not assume it has been adjourned.

When open, the registry hours are 9.00am to 4.30pm and the phone line (1300 679 272) runs 8.30am to 4.30pm, Monday to Friday. The postal address is PO Box 2199, Burwood North NSW 2134, and the fax is (02) 9744 4144. AVL facilities are available in Courtrooms 1, 3 and 4.

How does NSW law play out in a real-looking case?

The rest of this page follows one hypothetical person, "Sam", through a typical inner-west drink driving charge. Sam is not a client and the facts are invented to show how the rules work. Your own case may differ in ways that matter.

The facts: Sam manages a restaurant in Five Dock and lives in Croydon. After a staff dinner, Sam drives home along Parramatta Road and is stopped at a random breath test. The roadside test is positive. Sam has a full licence and no previous offences.

Step 1: what reading did Sam record, and which charge followed?

Police take Sam for a breath analysis on an approved instrument, done within 2 hours of the driving as the Road Transport Act 2013 requires (Sch 3). The reading is 0.096.

Under s 110, that puts Sam in the mid range (0.08 to under 0.15). For comparison, the other ranges are novice (any alcohol under 0.02, for learner and P-plate drivers), special (0.02 to under 0.05, for heavy vehicle, bus, taxi and dangerous goods drivers), low (0.05 to under 0.08) and high (0.15 or more). A mid range charge cannot be dealt with by penalty notice, so Sam receives a court attendance notice for Burwood.

Step 2: could Sam keep driving until court?

No. Police hand Sam an immediate suspension notice under RTA s 224, which applies to mid range, high range, DUI and refusal charges. Sam's licence is suspended from that moment until the charge is dealt with.

Sam asks about appealing. A suspension appeal under s 268 is possible, but the Local Court can only lift the suspension in exceptional circumstances, and needing a car for work is rarely enough by itself. Sam decides not to appeal, and instead uses the train between Croydon and Five Dock's bus links. The time already spent suspended will be relevant later.

Step 3: what did Sam do before court?

Sam has several weeks. Over that time Sam:

orders a NSW driving record, which confirms no offences in the past 5 years, so this is a first offence (RTA s 9);
completes the Traffic Offenders Program;
collects three references: the restaurant owner, a long-time friend and a community sports coach, each confirming they know about the charge;
gets a letter from the owner explaining Sam's late finishes and why public transport is limited after midnight;
writes a short letter to the court about what happened and what Sam has changed, such as booking a rideshare before any work function.

Sam also reads the police facts. They say Sam drove "approximately 5 km". It was closer to 2 km. That correction is raised before the plea, because a magistrate sentences on the facts accepted.

Step 4: what about the closure?

Sam's first date falls during the Burwood closure. Sam checks the online court list and calls the registry to confirm where and when to attend, then keeps a note of the call. That one step avoids the risk of turning up at a closed building, or of missing a date and having a warrant or a decision made in Sam's absence.

Step 5: what happened at sentence?

Sam pleads guilty at the first date. The magistrate considers section 10 of the Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 – a dismissal or conditional release order without conviction, which would mean no disqualification and no interlock. It is legally available, because Sam has had no section 10 for a similar offence in the past 5 years (RTA s 203). In this example the magistrate decides that a reading near 0.10 after a planned evening out does not warrant one, and records a conviction. A different magistrate, or different facts, could reach a different view; a section 10 is a judgment call, explained on our page about no-conviction outcomes for NSW drink driving.

Once a conviction is recorded for a first mid range offence, the law fixes the licence outcome. The court must make an interlock order (RTA ss 209–212):

disqualification: between 3 and 6 months – here, 3 months, taking account of the time Sam was already suspended;
interlock period: at least 12 months, driving only a vehicle fitted with an approved interlock.

The fine can be up to $2,200 (20 penalty units at $110), and mid range also carries up to 9 months' prison. Sam receives a fine well under the maximum. The early plea is taken into account.

Step 6: what if Sam had asked for an exemption?

Sam could have asked the court for an exemption order. The grounds are narrow, such as no access to a vehicle for the device or a medical condition that prevents its use. Working late shifts is not one of them. And an exemption would have meant a longer disqualification instead: an automatic 12 months, with a minimum of 6 (RTA s 205). For Sam, the interlock order was the quicker way back to driving.

Step 7: how does Sam get back on the road?

After the 3 months, Sam applies to Service NSW for an interlock licence, leases a device from an approved provider and has it fitted. For at least 12 months Sam blows into the device before each trip, and the device records every result. Services are due at set intervals. Sam must meet the program's performance requirements before the interlock comes off. Had Sam chosen not to take part, the law would leave Sam disqualified for 5 years. The Transport for NSW interlock program page covers providers and fees, and our interlock order explainer covers the court side.

There is no work licence in NSW that would have let Sam drive during the 3 months. Driving then would have been a fresh offence, explained on our NSW disqualified driving page.

How would the example change with different facts?

At 0.06 (low range): police could have issued a penalty notice – a fine and a 3-month suspension, with no court case (TfNSW). In court, a conviction would bring 6 months' disqualification, reducible to 3, and no interlock.
At 0.16 (high range): up to $3,300 and/or 18 months' prison, and an interlock order of 6 to 9 months off the road, then at least 24 months. See our high range guideline judgment page.
With a penalty notice 3 years earlier: a second offence. Higher maximums, a longer interlock order, no second section 10 if one had been given, and the Driver Knowledge Test before relicensing.
Drug driving instead: driving with an illicit drug present (s 111) does not need proof of impairment; a first offence carries up to $2,200 and 6 months' disqualification, reducible to 3. See NSW drug driving penalties.

All the figures are in our NSW drink driving penalty tables.

Which courts are near Burwood?

Bankstown Local Court – about 9 km south-west
Newtown drink driving matters – about 8 km east
Downing Centre DUI charges – Sydney CBD, about 11 km east

Every other court is in our NSW court list.

Featured Video Case Reviews (Burwood & NSW)

These short videos highlight preparation strategies and real-world outcomes in comparable NSW matters — useful to understand what Magistrates often look for on sentence.

For more videos, visit BoormanLawyers.tv .

Boorman Lawyers Case Review

What clients say

Google reviews (opens in a new tab)Facebook reviews (opens in a new tab)

Burwood drink driving FAQs

Where do I go while Burwood Local Court is closed?

Follow your court attendance notice and any later letter from the court, and check the online court list. If they conflict or you are unsure, call 1300 679 272 before the date and keep a note of what you are told.

Is the interlock automatic for a first mid range offence?

On conviction, yes: the court must make an interlock order unless it grants an exemption on narrow grounds. A section 10 means no conviction, and so no interlock order.

Does the time I was suspended count?

The court usually takes time spent under an immediate suspension into account when setting the disqualification. Keep your suspension notice.

Can I fix errors in the police facts?

Yes. Raise them before you plead guilty, so the facts can be amended. You are sentenced on the facts the court accepts.

Do I have to attend court in person?

For a sentence you should plan to attend in person unless the court has allowed otherwise. Check your notice and the court list for the venue.

Sources and date checked

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

Local Court of NSW – Court locations B (Burwood; closure 5 Oct – reopening 14 Dec 2026) — checked 19 Oct 2026
NSW Courts – Online court list — checked 20 Oct 2026
Road Transport Act 2013 (NSW) – current version (ss 9, 110, 203, 205, 209–212, 224, 268; Sch 3) — checked 20 Oct 2026
Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW) – s 10; s 17 (penalty unit $110) — checked 20 Oct 2026
NSW Government (Transport for NSW) – Drink and drug driving penalties — checked 20 Oct 2026
NSW Government (Transport for NSW) – Alcohol Interlock Program — 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.

Burwood Local Court — court details

Burwood Local Court

Street: 7–9 Belmore Street, Burwood NSW 2134
Postal: PO Box 2199, Burwood North NSW 2134
Phone: 1300 679 272
Registry hours: Registry 9.00am – 4.30pm; telephone 8.30am – 4.30pm
Days open: Monday to Friday (closed 5 October – 13 December 2026)
Facilities: Audio visual link (AVL) facilities in Courtrooms 1, 3 and 4

➜ Get directions

Local Court of NSW, Court locations – B (localcourt.nsw.gov.au), saved 19 Oct 2026. 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

Choose your NSW traffic law topicNSW

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.

No obligationConfidential

Boorman Lawyers TV