The court has a civil jurisdiction under the Magistrates Court (Civil Proceedings) Act 2004 (WA). The court exercises the criminal jurisdiction which a court of petty sessions previously had or which a court of summary jurisdiction could have exercised prior to the creation of the court.
According to the Magistrates Court (Civil Proceedings) Act 2004 (WA), the court oversees civil cases. It also manages criminal proceedings that were handled by petty sessions courts or could have been dealt with by summary jurisdiction courts prior to the formation of this court.