Courts close, Centrelink queues: How Victoria’s unprecedented virus shutdown is unfolding Shannon Deery, Aneeka Simonis, Brianna Travers, Matthew Johnston, Herald Sun March 23, 2020 10:02pm This coronavirus article is unlocked and free to read in the interest of community health and safety. For full access to the Herald Sun/Leader journalism, subscribe here. Victoria’s magistrate courts will undergo a partial shutdown from Tuesday with an automatic three-month adjournment to hundreds of listings. In a note to lawyers on Monday night, Chief Magistrate Lisa Hannan said all criminal hearings across the state’s magistrates’ courts, except filing hearings, committal mentions, and committal hearings, would be adjourned until June 15. Accused on summons or bail will no longer need to attend filing hearings, provided they are represented by a lawyer. In civil matters lawyers and interested parties have been directed not to attend court. MORE IN NEWS