Melbourne Magistrates' Court, Primary courthouse in central business district, Melbourne, Australia

The Melbourne Magistrates' Court is a courthouse on William Street in Melbourne's central business district, handling a wide range of civil and criminal cases. It has several courtrooms and specialized divisions, each set up to deal with a particular type of proceeding.

Victoria has had magistrates since 1836, when Melbourne residents elected an arbitrator for minor disputes; Captain William Lonsdale was appointed police magistrate that year and the first case was heard near the present Southern Cross station site. The Court of Petty Sessions was created in 1838, and by 1890 the three types of courts sat at 235 locations across the colony. The current court was established by the Magistrates' Court Act 1989, and in 1995 it moved to 233 William Street; the old La Trobe and Russell Street building, opened on 20 January 1914, is now RMIT University's Building 20.

The court's name comes from the Magistrates' Court Act 1989, but Victoria's magistrates date to 1836, when Melbourne residents elected an arbitrator for minor disputes and police magistrate Captain William Lonsdale heard the first case near today's Southern Cross station. The 1914 City Court at Russell Street was opened with Phillip Blashki JP as first Chairman of the Bench.

The courthouse sits in the heart of Melbourne and is easy to reach by public transport from most parts of the city. Anyone planning to attend a hearing should check the entry requirements and any relevant procedures beforehand, as these can vary depending on the type of case.

The building's lower floors hold a battery of police cells, the Melbourne Custody Centre, beneath the courtrooms. Public access is only by appointment, but legal practitioners may speak with people held in custody there. The ground floor's two largest courtrooms often hear matters involving accused persons in custody.