You can download this information sheet [PDF 224KB] [Word 189KB] or call us on 1300 039 390 to get a printed copy mailed to you.

About Funds in Court

The Senior Master holds the funds (money) for people who are under a legal disability. The Senior Master is an Associate Judge of the Supreme Court of Victoria.

Funds in Court (FIC) is a division of the Supreme Court. We help the Senior Master deal with funds paid into Court.

Our service standards

Our service standards are about the way we work with you. These standards explain what you can expect from us and what you can do to help us.

Our service standards are based on the following principles.

  • The Senior Master and the Judicial Registrar are both judicial officers of the Court. This means they will always act impartially (without bias) and fairly.
  • We align with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This means we promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all people with disabilities. We also promote respect for their inherent dignity.
  • We follow the:
    • Victorian Human Rights Charter
    • National Standards for Disability Services
    • principles in the Guardianship and Administration Act 2019 (Vic).

What you can expect from us

We will aim to act according to your will and preferences (if known) unless this would cause you serious harm.

We will talk with you when we make decisions that affect you. When dealing with your funds in Court, we will:

  • do so in a way that restricts, as little as possible, your ability to decide and act
  • do our best to protect you from abuse, exploitation and neglect
  • advocate (speak up) on your behalf
  • act honestly, diligently and in good faith
  • support you to make your own decisions where possible
  • help you to become able to make your own decisions again.

To help you get the most from our services, we will:

  • respect your rights and treat you with courtesy
  • respect your privacy (the protection of your privacy is of greatest importance to us. We view your affairs as completely confidential)
  • listen to you and be helpful
  • work hard to make sure our services are fair, prompt and accessible
  • make sure the information we provide is clear and easy to understand.

How you can help us

You can help us by:

  • respecting our staff and treating us with courtesy
  • providing us with accurate and complete information
  • letting us know if your circumstances change
  • giving us feedback about our services so we can keep getting better.

Information about our services

We are committed to improving your life by listening and attending to your needs. Part of this is making sure you, your family and all other interested parties have information about our services.

We have many resources explaining our services, including:

We also run events organised specifically for FIC clients.

Who to talk to at FIC

When you join FIC you will be assigned a Client Services Officer. They will be the person you talk to the most. Your Client Services Officer will help you access your funds held in Court.

We also have Client Liaison Officers who can visit you and your families. They can talk with you about what FIC can do for you, and other related matters. Talk to your Client Services Officer to arrange a visit.

We will act fairly and impartially

We act fairly and impartially (without bias) when dealing with your funds. When looking at your requests, we will always:

  • make decisions and provide advice on merit and without bias, favouritism or self-interest
  • act fairly by objectively considering all relevant facts and fair criteria
  • enact the Senior Master’s policies and procedures in a way that treats everyone fairly and in the same way.

Our service delivery

We have goals for our service delivery. We aim to:

  • approve and prepare payment for at least 90% of invoices within 5 business days of receiving them
  • respond to at least 80% of correspondence about FIC clients within 5 business days of receiving it
  • answer 80% of phone calls within 1 minute.

Working together

We are committed to working with people who interact with FIC to ensure they understand our goals and strategies. We do this by talking to the FIC Client Consultation Group and FIC Beneficiary Advisory Committee.

We also get an independent company to run a service delivery survey of FIC clients every two years. The results from this survey help us check the quality of our services.

Feedback and complaints

We listen carefully to your feedback or any complaints you may have about our services. We will do our best to deal with complaints in a transparent, timely and appropriate manner.

You can read our Making a Complaint and Giving Feedback Information Sheet to find out more.