Practice Direction 2 of 2026 - Juvenile Criminal Information on the eCourts Criminal Portal

The eCourts Portal of Western Australia (the eCourts Portal) is an online platform administered by the Department of Justice (the Department).

The eCourts Criminal Portal, which forms part of the eCourts Portal, provides access to court records and information concerning criminal proceedings before Western Australian courts.

The eCourts Criminal Portal is broadly comprised of two parts:

1. the 'Criminal Information' section, which enables users to search for profiles by name and access associated court records and information; and
2. the 'Court List' section, which enables users to generate a report of the matters listed before the court on a particular day.

For the purposes of this Practice Direction:

1. court record has the same meaning given by s 51A(1) of the Children's Court of Western Australia Act 1988 (Children's Court Act); and
2. young person has the same meaning given by the Young Offenders Act 1994 (Young Offenders Act).
3. Juvenile Criminal Information means court records and information in the ‘Criminal Information’ section of the eCourts Criminal Portal relating to criminal proceedings in which the accused is a young person;
4. Adult Criminal Information means court records and information in the 'Criminal Information' section of the eCourts Criminal Portal relating to criminal proceedings in which the accused is not a young person.

This Practice Direction applies to Juvenile Criminal Information on the eCourts Criminal Portal.

Unless otherwise provided in this Practice Direction, the procedures and practices relating to Juvenile Criminal Information are consistent with those applying to Adult Criminal Information.

This Practice Direction is to be read alongside:

1. Practice Direction 1 of 2026: Request for Access to a Court Record; and
2. Practice Direction 3 of 2026: Access to Daily Court Lists.

This Practice Direction has effect from 10 April 2026.

For the purposes of this Practice Direction, a person who is granted access to Juvenile Criminal Information (an Approved Children's Court User), is a person who:

1. is an entitled person with regard to Juvenile Criminal Information;
2. is a registered user of the eCourts Portal; and
3. agrees to comply with all conditions of access.

For clarity, 'person' is to be read as referring to any relevant individual, government agency or department.

For the purposes of this Practice Direction, an entitled person with regard to Juvenile Criminal Information (an Entitled Person), means a person who is:

1. authorised to access court records under s 51A of the Children's Court Act; and
2. considered by the court to be a suitable person, in all the circumstances, to have access to Juvenile Criminal Information.

For clarity, a person who is not an Entitled Person for the purpose of this Practice Direction may still make a request in accordance with Practice Direction 1 of 2026: Request for Access to a Court Record.

The following persons (Legislatively Entitled Persons), are authorised to access court records under s 51A of the Children's Court Act and are regarded as suitable persons under 3.1(b):

1. a legal practitioner authorised by a party to a proceeding;
2. a prosecuting authority who is a party to a proceeding;
3. the Commissioner of Police;
4. the Director of Public Prosecutions for Western Australia (State DPP);
5. the CEO of the young offenders agency; and
6. a person authorised by any of the above.

For clarity, a Legislatively Entitled Person for the purposes of this Practice Direction does not include all persons who may be entitled to access court records under s 51A(3) of the Children's Court Act.

Subject to compliance with the conditions specified at 5.2, a person who is an employee of a Legislatively Entitled Person may be regarded as an Entitled Person for the purpose of this Practice Direction.

For an employee to be regarded as an Entitled Person, the employer, being a Legislatively Entitled Person, must:

1. maintain a current register of employees who are Approved Children’s Court Users; and
2. ensure any non-legal practitioner employees are trained and instructed as to the confidentiality obligations regarding accessing and using court records, specifically, as to the effect of:
   1. s 35, s 36 and s 51A of the Children’s Court Act; and
   2. s 17, s 189 and s 190 of the Young Offenders Act.

A person who is not mentioned in paragraphs 4 or 5 must make an application to the court to be regarded as an Entitled Person for the purpose of this Practice Direction.

To make an application under 6.1, a person must complete a 'eCourts juvenile criminal information request' form and submit it to the Perth Children's Court registry (eCourts Juvenile Criminal Information Request).

An eCourts Juvenile Criminal Information Request will be approved or refused in accordance with the requirements under 3.1 as follows:

1. The court will determine whether a person is authorised to access court records according to the procedures in Practice Direction 1 of 2026: Request for Access to a Court Record.
2. In determining whether a person is suitable, in all the circumstances, to access Juvenile Criminal Information the court will consider:
   1. any relevant factors outlined in Practice Direction 1 of 2026: Request for Access to a Court Record; and
   2. any other matters the court considers relevant.

In addition to the conditions on access under paragraph 8, the court may approve a request subject to any further conditions of access that it deems fit.

A person that may seek to make an application under 6.1, includes but is not limited to:

1. a legal practitioner who is acting in a duty lawyer capacity and seeking entitlement for the purpose of duty appearances; or
2. a legal practitioner who is approached by a party for urgent legal advice or representation and who have that party's authorisation.

For the purposes of this Practice Direction, a Registered eCourts User is a person whose registration to use the eCourts Portal has been approved by the Department.

Subject to 7.3 and any other direction of the court, the Department is responsible for administering the eCourts Portal, and in that function:

1. determines the process for user registration;
2. manages access levels for Registered eCourts Users; and
3. may approve, refuse, suspend, or terminate a person’s registration as it considers appropriate.

The Department must be satisfied that a person is an Entitled Person before granting access to Juvenile Criminal Information.

The Department may be satisfied that a person is an Entitled Person with regard to Juvenile Criminal Information:

1. by reference to paragraphs 4 or 5;
2. through confirmation from the court following an eCourts Juvenile Criminal Information Request; or
3. as otherwise directed by the court.

The following conditions of access apply to all Approved Children’s Court Users, requiring that a person must:

1. accept and comply with the Department’s conditions of access to the eCourts Portal;
2. certify that they are authorised to access court records under s 51A of the Children's Court Act;
3. comply with the confidentiality provisions in the Children's Court Act, the Young Offenders Act and any other applicable legislation, including but not limited to:
   1. s 35, s 36 and s 36AA of the Children's Court Act;
   2. s 17, s 189 and s 190 of the Young Offenders Act; and
4. comply with any other conditions imposed by the court.

The use of Juvenile Criminal Information is restricted to:

1. purposes authorised under applicable legislation; and
2. the lawful use of court records procedures set out in Practice Direction 1 of 2026: Request for Access to a Court Record.

Non-compliance with this Practice Direction, including confidentiality obligations under applicable legislation, may result in the immediate suspension or termination of access to the eCourts Criminal Portal.

Unauthorised access or unlawful use of Juvenile Criminal Information may result in professional disciplinary or criminal action.

Access to Juvenile Criminal Information on the eCourts Criminal Portal is closely monitored, in that all access is logged, audited and reportable if required.

The court may dispense with a requirement of this Practice Direction if:

1. the urgency of the request requires it; or
2. for any other reasons connected to compliance with relevant provisions of the Children's Court Act and the Young Offenders Act.

Except as provided at 12.2, the court records and information available as Juvenile Criminal Information are consistent with Adult Criminal Information available on the eCourts Criminal Portal.

Juvenile Criminal Information relating to a charge will be removed from the eCourts Criminal Portal three years after the last activity on the charge, except where:

1. the charge is for murder, attempted murder or manslaughter; or
2. there is an outstanding arrest warrant for the charge.

For prosecuting agencies other than the State DPP and WA Police, access to Juvenile Criminal Information is limited to court records and information relating to charges brought by that particular prosecuting authority.

A court-generated sentencing record document may be accessed by certain persons as follows:

1. by relevant prosecuting authorities – directly through the ‘Criminal Information’ section of the eCourts Criminal Portal; or
2. by a legal practitioner authorised by the party - according to the procedures in Practice Direction 1 of 2026: Request for Access to a Court Record.

For clarity, court records that are not available as Juvenile Criminal Information on the eCourts Criminal Portal can still be requested according to the procedures in Practice Direction 1 of 2026: Request for Access to a Court Record.