Attending criminal court in Hamilton: the John Sopinka Courthouse

Checked October 27, 2026. General information, not legal advice. Arrangements change; confirm with the court before you go.

Finding the right building

Criminal matters in Hamilton are heard downtown at the John Sopinka Courthouse, 45 Main Street East, Hamilton, Ontario L8N 2B7. The building houses both trial courts. Most criminal cases, including first appearances, bail and youth matters, belong to the Ontario Court of Justice. The Superior Court of Justice deals with jury trials, bail reviews and the most serious charges. Civil, Divisional Court and small claims matters are also heard here.

Family matters are heard elsewhere. Family court sits in a separate building, the Hamilton Courthouse at 55 Main Street West.

Office hours

• Court offices: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday to Friday.
• Counter service: weekdays, 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Parking and arrival

Where to park. Downtown Hamilton has both city-run and private lots. The Impark surface lot at 18 Main Street East, on the northwest corner of Main Street East and Hughson Street South, is one choice; its operator says it is a short walk to the courthouse and posts a $20 daily maximum (6 a.m. to 5 p.m.). You can pay at city lots and meters through the Passport Parking app. Rates may change, so read the signs when you arrive.

Come 30 minutes early. Ontario recommends getting to court half an hour before your appearance time, and security can take a large part of that.

Screening at the door

Expect to be screened as you enter the building. Your bags may also be searched again at the courtroom door. Leave extra time, particularly before the morning courts open.

• Anything that might be considered a weapon, including a pocket or utility knife, should be left at home. Prohibited items can be seized, and you can be denied entry.
• No photos or video may be taken anywhere in the courthouse without a judge's permission.

Locating your courtroom

The date, time and, usually, the courtroom for your appearance are printed on your summons, appearance notice or release papers. Bring them.

The Ontario Court of Justice lists Hamilton's criminal courtrooms under two location pages, one for this building and one called "Hamilton Courthouse". Taken together, the latest records show:

• Courtroom 204: adult criminal case management all day on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, with federal matters on Wednesday. Matters with a lawyer begin at 9:00 a.m.; duty counsel matters and people without a lawyer are heard from 1:00 p.m.
• Courtroom 300: on Fridays, domestic and intimate partner violence matters in the morning, youth matters in the afternoon, and peace bonds and withdrawals throughout the day.
• Courtroom 326: overnight arrests of people held in custody, and video remands, on weekdays.
• Courtroom 200: out-of-custody overnight arrests each morning, plus judge-led intensive case management at 10:00 a.m.
• Courtroom 306: plea court for people in and out of custody.

Assignments change from time to time. If your paperwork lists a different courtroom, go there, or check at the information counter.

Courtroom etiquette

Let the registrar, the clerk at the front of the room, know you have arrived. Switch your phone off or to silent and keep it put away. Hats and sunglasses come off unless you wear them for religious or medical reasons, and food and drinks stay outside.

Stand when the judge comes in or goes out, and when you speak to the judge. If court is in session when you get there, you may have to wait at the door until a break.

Your first court date, explained

Your first appearance is not the trial. Criminal cases normally pass through several court dates before they are resolved. In the early stages, the focus is on getting disclosure (the Crown's evidence), talking with the Crown and settling on next steps.

If you have not hired a lawyer:

• Duty counsel are Legal Aid lawyers stationed at the courthouse, and you can speak with them on the day of your first appearance. In Hamilton, duty counsel can be reached at 905-528-0387, extension 12.
• The Crown Attorney's office can provide information about your case. Before contacting them, have ready your full name, date of birth, the charges, your police occurrence number (found on your release papers) and your contact details.
• Do not expect legal advice from a judge, court staff or Crown counsel; they cannot provide it.

If you have hired a lawyer, ask whether you must attend in person. On many case-management dates your lawyer can file a designation and appear on your behalf, which may mean no trip to the courthouse.

Always attend when required. Missing court can lead to a warrant for your arrest and a new charge. If you will not be able to make it, speak with a lawyer or contact the court before your date.

Appearing by Zoom

Remote appearances are common in Hamilton's case-management courts. Zoom meeting IDs, passcodes and telephone dial-in numbers for each courtroom are published by the Ontario Court of Justice and repeated in the contacts section further down this page. Only join remotely if your paperwork, your lawyer or the court has said you may.

Conduct yourself as you would in a courtroom. Choose a quiet, private place to connect and follow the court's remote appearance code of conduct.

Disability accommodations at court

The courthouse accessibility coordinator can help arrange disability accommodations for a court proceeding, such as real-time captioning, an assistive listening device or a temporary wheelchair. Make contact early:

• Stefanie Capozza, accessibility coordinator
• [email protected]
• 905-645-5301

When you get in touch, give the court address, your court file number, the date and time of your proceeding and the accommodation you are asking for. Even without every detail, still contact the coordinator.

Zoom details and contacts

Courthouse contacts

Published court information

Common questions

Sources

• Ontario.ca: Hamilton (John Sopinka) Courthouse, hours, contacts and accessibility ↗
• Ontario.ca: Hamilton Courthouse, 55 Main St. W. (family) ↗
• Ontario Court of Justice: Hamilton (John Sopinka) courtrooms and Zoom details ↗
• Ontario Court of Justice: Hamilton courtrooms and Zoom details ↗
• Superior Court of Justice: Hamilton (John Sopinka) Courthouse ↗
• Impark: 18 Main Street East, Lot 41 ↗
• City of Hamilton: Parking ↗
• Superior Court of Justice: Attending court in person ↗
• Ontario.ca: Going to criminal court ↗

Unofficial copy. Not affiliated with or endorsed by the Ontario courts. Source: Ontario Court of Justice, retrieved November 1, 2026.

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