NEW SOUTH WALES

Moree DUI Lawyers

In shortBoorman Lawyers are experienced, dedicated drink driving, drug driving and DUI lawyers who regularly appear at Moree Local and District Court and represent clients facing alcohol, drug and serious traffic charges at this courthouse. Moree Local and District Court in Frome Street is open weekdays, with the Friday registry open mornings only. We assist clients at Moree Local and District 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: Moree Local and District Court, Frome Street, Moree NSW 2400. Phone 1300 679 272. Registry Monday to Thursday 9.00am – 1.00pm and 2.00pm – 4.00pm; Friday 9.00am – 1.00pm.
Decisions: plea, suspension appeal, Traffic Offenders Program, penalty notice or court, and how to present hardship.
Law: NSW Road Transport Act 2013. There is no work licence in NSW.

New South Wales law · law checked 20 Oct 2026

Call 1300 941 900 Make an enquiry about legal representation

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What's on this page

What decisions will you have to make?

Five, usually. None of them should be made on the court steps. The options matrix below sets out each decision, the options, when each tends to make sense, and the risks.

Decision 1 – Penalty notice or court (if you were given a penalty notice)

Option	When it may suit	Risks
Pay the penalty notice	A clear first low range or drug presence offence where a 3-month suspension is manageable	It counts as a prior for 5 years (RTA s 9(2A)), and a section 10 outcome is not possible
Elect to go to court	Where a section 10, or a shorter effective loss of licence, is realistic	The court can impose a larger fine and 6 months' disqualification (reducible to 3)

Some first low range PCA and drug presence offences can be dealt with by penalty notice. Get advice before the payment date.

Decision 2 – Plead guilty or not guilty

Option	When it may suit	Risks
Guilty	The facts are right, the procedure was followed and there is no realistic defence	Sentence on the facts as agreed. Correct anything wrong in the facts first
Not guilty	Real issues exist: timing (breath analysis more than 2 hours after driving, Sch 3 cl 2(2)(a)), who was driving, where, or the certificate or laboratory result	A hearing date means more time, and any suspension keeps running. A late guilty plea gets less weight (CSPA s 22)

See our drink driving defences guide.

Decision 3 – Appeal an immediate suspension or not

Option	When it may suit	Risks
Appeal (s 268)	Genuinely exceptional circumstances, with evidence	The test is strict, and ordinary work hardship is usually not enough
Don't appeal	Where no exceptional circumstances can be shown; put the effort into the sentence instead	You cannot drive until the charge is finalised

Police can suspend immediately for mid range, high range, DUI, refusal and some other charges (s 224). Our licence suspension appeal guide explains the test.

Decision 4 – Do a Traffic Offenders Program before sentence

Option	When it may suit	Risks
Complete it before court	Almost always worth considering. It shows insight and practical education	Check the court accepts the provider and format first
Don't	Rarely advisable if pleading guilty	Less material in mitigation

See our Traffic Offenders Program guide.

Decision 5 – Ask for a section 10, or a reduced disqualification

Option	When it may suit	Risks
Seek a section 10 (no conviction)	Good record, lower reading, strong subjective case, no section 10 in the past 5 years (RTA s 203)	It is discretionary. The court weighs the factors in CSPA s 10(3)
Seek the minimum disqualification	Low range, novice, special or drug presence: 6 months can be reduced to no less than 3	The court cannot go below the minimum
Accept the interlock order	Mid range and above: the order is mandatory on conviction	Plan fitting and servicing. Not joining means a 5-year disqualification

Our no conviction guide covers the section 10 factors under the Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999.

What penalties are on the table?

For a first offence, the ceiling depends on the range. Novice, special and low range PCA, and drug presence, each carry a fine of up to 20 penalty units ($2,200), no prison, and 6 months' automatic disqualification, which the court can cut to 3. Mid range adds a possible 9 months' prison and a compulsory interlock order: 3 to 6 months off the road, then at least a year with the device. High range and DUI go up to 30 penalty units ($3,300) and 18 months. For high range, and for DUI involving alcohol, the interlock order means 6 to 9 months off the road and at least 2 years on an interlock.

A second offence within 5 years raises all of these. So does a prior penalty notice, which counts as a previous offence (s 9(2A)). Our NSW drink driving penalties guide sets out every figure. Transport for NSW publishes the official summary, and the ranges are defined in our NSW drink driving offences guide.

A worked comparison for a cotton season worker

Hypothetical, for illustration only. A seasonal machinery operator records 0.065 on the way back from town during picking season. That is low range. If the police issue a penalty notice, the result is a fixed fine and an immediate 3-month suspension, with no chance of a section 10. If the matter goes to court, the magistrate could order anything from a section 10 without conviction (so no automatic disqualification) to a conviction with 6 months off the road, or 3 if the court reduces it. Which path is wiser depends on the worker's record and the material available. That is why Decision 1 above should be made with advice, before the payment date.

How should hardship be presented in Moree?

Carefully, and with documents. Moree is a cotton, grain and livestock town on the Newell and Gwydir Highways, with long distances to work sites, properties and services. Saying "I need my licence" adds nothing on its own. What helps is:

an employer or business letter setting out duties, routes and what a disqualification would mean;
evidence of caring or medical travel responsibilities;
a realistic transport plan, showing who will drive you and how you will get to work;
for mid range and above, a plan for interlock fitting and servicing. Living in the country is not a ground for exemption. See our NSW interlock guide.

Remember there is no work licence in NSW. Hardship goes to the court's discretion within the legal limits. It does not create a licence.

Does it matter that you live over the border?

Not to the charge itself. An offence committed on a NSW road is prosecuted under NSW law in a NSW court, whatever state issued your licence. Three NSW rules matter to drivers from over the border at Boggabilla or Mungindi. A NSW suspension notice ends your right to drive in NSW straight away (s 224(4)(b)). Breaching a suspension or disqualification while in NSW is a separate offence (s 54). NSW will also tell your licensing authority about the offence (s 29(3)). What happens to your licence at home depends on that state's law, which this page does not cover.

What about drug driving?

Under s 111, driving with THC, methylamphetamine, MDMA or cocaine present is an offence without any proof of impairment. Cannabis is an example. Some people believe they are fine to drive when the drug can still be detected. A charge may follow weeks after the roadside test, once the laboratory result is in. See our NSW drug driving guide.

What happens on the day at Frome Street?

Arrive early, find the list, and be ready to wait. Traffic matters are often called alongside other Local Court matters. Bring printed copies of everything. If you are disqualified, the disqualification starts on the day of conviction unless the court orders a later start (RTA s 207A), so arrange a lift home. Note that the registry closes at 1.00pm on Fridays.

Which courts are near Moree?

The nearest NSW courts on this site are Boggabilla (about 108 km), Inverell (about 128 km), Glen Innes (about 186 km) and Tamworth (about 209 km). Attend the court named on your notice. Statewide information is on our NSW traffic law page.

What clients say

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Moree drink driving FAQs

Where is Moree Local Court and when is the registry open?

In Frome Street, Moree NSW 2400. Monday to Thursday, 9.00am to 1.00pm and 2.00pm to 4.00pm; Friday, 9.00am to 1.00pm. Phone 1300 679 272 (8.30am to 4.30pm). Mail goes to PO Box 14, Moree NSW 2400.

Can I avoid a conviction?

Possibly, under section 10, if the court considers it appropriate given your character, record, age, health, the seriousness of the offence and any extenuating circumstances. It is not available if you had a section 10 for a similar offence in the past 5 years.

I work on a property and need to drive at harvest. Can the court make an exception?

Not by issuing a work licence, because NSW has none. The court can take hardship into account when it sets the penalty and disqualification within the legal limits, or when it considers a section 10. It cannot go below the statutory minimum after a conviction.

Can I appear by AVL at Moree?

The official list shows AVL facilities in court room 1. Whether you can appear by AVL is up to the court.

Do I need to do the Traffic Offenders Program?

It is not compulsory, but it is can be completed before sentence to show insight. Check the court accepts your chosen provider and format first.

What if I was over the limit and a drug was also detected?

If the reading was mid range or high range and an illicit drug was also present, police may charge the combined offence under RTA s 111A. For a first offence, the maximum is $3,300 and/or 18 months' prison with a mid range reading, or $5,500 and/or 2 years with a high range reading. It is a mandatory interlock offence even for a first offence (s 209). Check the section number on your court attendance notice.

Sources and date checked

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

Local Court of NSW – Court locations M (Moree) — checked 19 Oct 2026
Road Transport Act 2013 (NSW) – current version (ss 9, 29, 54, 110, 111, 111A, 112, 203, 205, 207A, 209–212, 224, 268) — checked 20 Oct 2026
Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW) – ss 9, 10, 10A, 22 — 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.

Moree Local and District Court — court details

Moree Local and District Court

Street: Frome Street, Moree NSW 2400
Postal: PO Box 14, Moree NSW 2400
Phone: 1300 679 272
Registry hours: Registry Monday – Thursday 9.00am – 1.00pm and 2.00pm – 4.00pm; Friday 9.00am – 1.00pm; telephone 8.30am – 4.30pm
Days open: Monday to Friday
Facilities: Audio visual link (AVL) facilities in court room 1

➜ Get directions

Local Court of NSW, Court locations – M (localcourt.nsw.gov.au), saved 19 Oct 2026. Official fax (02) 6759 2308. 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.

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