Service of court documents on the Commonwealth

Section 63 of the Judiciary Act 1903 provides that where the Commonwealth is a party to a suit, a process in that suit is to be served on the Attorney-General, or upon some person appointed by them to receive service. Court documents can be served electronically or in-person.

Electronic service of documents

The AGS has established the e-service email address processservice@ags.gov.au. You can use this to serve originating processes on the Commonwealth.

Find out more about electronic service of documents.

Service of documents in-person

Court documents can be served on the Commonwealth in-person at the locations listed below or in the document Locations to effect service on the Commonwealth.

Canberra

	Address	Phone Number	Fax
Australian Government Solicitor	Level 5 4 National Circuit BARTON ACT 2600	02 6253 7000	N/A
King & Wood Mallesons	Level 12 Constitution Place 1 Constitution Ave, CANBERRA ACT 2601	02 6217 6000	02 6217 6999
Norton Rose Fulbright	Level 6 Constitution Place 1 Constitution Avenue Canberra ACT 2601	02 6110 3000	02 9947 6999
Ashurst	Level 9 Civic Quarter 68 Northbourne Avenue CANBERRA ACT 2601	02 6234 4000	02 6234 4111
Clayton Utz	Level 10 NewActon Nishi 2 Phillip Law St CANBERRA ACT 2601	02 6279 4000	02 6279 4099
MinterEllison	Level 11 Constitution Place 1 Constitution Ave, CANBERRA ACT 2601	02 6225 3000	02 6225 1000

Sydney

	Address	Phone Number	Fax
Australian Government Solicitor	Level 10 60 Martin Place Sydney NSW 2000	02 9581 7777	N/A
DLA Piper	Level 22 No. 1 Martin Place SYDNEY NSW 2000	02 9286 8000	02 9286 8007
King & Wood Mallesons	Level 61 Governor Phillip Tower 1 Farrer Place SYDNEY NSW 2000	02 9296 2000	02 9296 3999
Norton Rose Fulbright	Level 5 60 Martin Place SYDNEY NSW 2000	02 9330 8000	02 9330 8111
Ashurst	Level 11 5 Martin Place SYDNEY NSW 2000	02 9258 6000	02 9258 6999
Clayton Utz	Level 15 1 Bligh St SYDNEY NSW 2000	02 9353 4000	02 8220 6700
MinterEllison	Level 40 Governor Macquarie Tower 1 Farrer Place SYDNEY NSW 2000	02 9921 8888	02 9921 8123

Melbourne

	Address	Phone Number	Fax
Australian Government Solicitor	Level 34 600 Bourke St MELBOURNE VIC 3000	03 9242 1222	N/A
DLA Piper	80 Collins Street MELBOURNE VIC 3000	03 9274 5000	03 9274 5111
King & Wood Mallesons	Level 27 Collins Arch 447 Collins Street MELBOURNE VIC 3000	03 9643 4000	03 9643 5999
Norton Rose Fulbright	Level 38 Olderfleet 477 Collins Street MELBOURNE VIC 3000	03 8686 6000	03 8686 6505
Ashurst	Level 16 80 Collins St South Tower MELBOURNE VIC 3000	03 9679 3000	03 9679 3111
Clayton Utz	Level 18 333 Collins Street MELBOURNE VIC 3000	03 9286 6000	03 9629 8488
MinterEllison	Level 20 Collins Arch 447 Collins St MELBOURNE VIC 3000	03 8608 2000	03 8608 1000

Brisbane

	Address	Phone Number	Fax
Australian Government Solicitor	Level 33 300 George Street BRISBANE QLD 4000	07 3360 5600	N/A
DLA Piper	Level 9 480 Queen St BRISBANE QLD 4000	07 3246 4000	07 3246 4077
King & Wood Mallesons	Level 33 Waterfront Place 1 Eagle St BRISBANE QLD 4000	07 3244 8000	07 3244 8999
Norton Rose Fulbright	Level 21 ONE ONE ONE 111 Eagle St BRISBANE QLD 4000	07 3414 2888	07 3414 2999
Ashurst	Level 38 Riverside Centre 123 Eagle St BRISBANE QLD 4000	07 3259 7000	07 3259 7111
Clayton Utz	Level 28 Riparian Plaza 71 Eagle St BRISBANE QLD 4000	07 3292 7000	07 3221 9669
MinterEllison	Level 22 Waterfront Place 1 Eagle St BRISBANE QLD 4000	07 3119 6000	07 3119 1000

Perth

	Address	Phone Number	Fax
Australian Government Solicitor	Level 21 Exchange Tower 2 The Esplanade PERTH WA 6000	08 9268 1199	8 9268 1198
DLA Piper	Level 21 240 St Georges Terrace PERTH WA 6000	08 6467 6000	08 6467 6001
King & Wood Mallesons	Level 30 QV.1 Building 250 St Georges Terrace PERTH WA 6000	08 9269 7000	08 9269 7999
Norton Rose Fulbright	Level 30 108 St Georges Terrace PERTH WA 6000	08 6212 3222	08 6212 3444
Ashurst	Level 10 Brookfield Place Tower II 123 St Georges Terrace PERTH WA 6000	08 9366 8000	08 9366 8111
Clayton Utz	Level 27 QV.1 Building 250 St Georges Terrace PERTH WA 6000	08 9426 8000	08 9481 3095
MinterEllison	Level 4 Allendale Square 77 St Georges Terrace PERTH WA 6000	08 6189 7800	08 6189 7999

Adelaide

	Address	Phone Number	Fax
Australian Government Solicitor	Level 5 101 Pirie St ADELAIDE SA 5000	08 8205 4211	N/A
MinterEllison	Level 10 Grenfell Centre 25 Grenfell St ADELAIDE SA 5000	08 8233 5555	08 8233 5556

Darwin

	Address	Phone Number	Fax
Australian Government Solicitor	Level 10 TIO Centre 24 Mitchell St DARWIN NT 0800	08 8943 1444	N/A
Clayton Utz	17-19 Lindsay St DARWIN NT 0800	08 8943 2555	08 8943 2500
MinterEllison	Level 1 60 Smith Street Darwin NT 0800	08 8901 5900	08 8901 5902

Hobart

	Address	Phone Number	Fax
Australian Government Solicitor	Level 8 188 Collins St HOBART TAS 7000	03 6210 2100	03 6210 2110

Law firms providing legal services to the Commonwealth or its agencies may apply to the Office of Legal Services Coordination to be appointed to receive service on behalf of the Commonwealth under the Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth).

Refer to Guidance note 9 to the Legal Services Directions 2017 for an indication of the issues an application for appointment should address.

Service of originating process on the Attorney-General

The Australian Government Solicitor (AGS) is directed by the Attorney-General to accept service on his behalf of any originating process that names the Attorney-General as a party to a suit, or that names him personally as a party to a suit in relation to the performance of functions in his role as the Attorney-General.

For service to be effected, the originating process must be delivered personally to an AGS office location.

Families and marriage

Rights and protections

Legal system

Crime

National security

Integrity

International relations