Name |
First permanent appointment commenced |
Permanent appointment concluded |
Select details of Australian judicial service |
(1869–1947) |
10 February 1925 | 16 November 1940 | Judge in Bankruptcy (1925–1939) Chief Judge in Equity (1935–1939) |
DAVIDSON, Sir Colin George Watt, Kt (1878–1954) |
14 February 1927 |
17 November 1949 |
Previously acting judge (1926 until his permanent appointment) |
HALSE ROGERS, Sir Percival KBE (1883–1945) |
7 June 1928 |
7 October 1945 |
|
(1870–1939) |
10 June 1929 |
28 April 1939 |
Previously acting judge (February 1929 until his permanent appointment) |
STREET, Sir Kenneth Whistler KCMG K St J (1890–1972) |
7 October 1931 |
27 January 1960 |
Chief Justice (1950–1960) Previously Industrial Commission (1927–1931) |
(1872–1940) |
28 August 1932 |
27 June 1940 |
Judge in Divorce and Matrimonial Causes (1932–1940) Previously acting judge (June 1932 until his permanent appointment) |
JORDAN, Sir Frederick Richard KCMG (1881–1949) |
1 February 1934 |
4 November 1949 |
Chief Justice Judge in Admiralty |
(1887–1975) |
9 August 1934 |
31 August 1956 |
Judge in Admiralty (1950–1955) Previously acting judge (1929–1930; February 1934 until his permanent appointment) |
(1877–1953) |
1 February 1935 |
7 January 1948 |
Probate Judge (1935–1946) Chief Judge in Equity and Judge in Bankruptcy (1939–1946) |
BAVIN, Sir Thomas Rainsford KCMG (1874–1941) |
16 October 1935 |
31 August 1941 |
|
(1901–1958) |
25 May 1937 |
28 June 1958 |
Judge of the Land and Valuation Court (1937–1947) Chief Judge in Equity and Probate Judge (1947–1958) Previously deputy judge of the Land and Valuation Court (February 1937 until his permanent appointment); acting judge (March 1937 until his permanent appointment) [See note at the end of the table] |
OWEN, Sir William Francis Langer KBE PC (1899–1972) |
25 October 1937 |
21 September 1961 |
Previously acting judge (1936 until his permanent appointment) Subsequently Justice of the High Court (1961–1972) |
(1899–1963) |
17 June 1940 |
14 October 1940 |
Previously acting judge (1939 until his permanent appointment) Subsequently Justice of the High Court (1940–1958) |
BONNEY, Reginald Schofield (1883–1950) |
1 August 1940 |
26 September 1950 |
Judge in Divorce and Matrimonial Causes (1940–1950) |
EDWARDS, Henry George (1886–1952) |
28 November 1940 |
2 July 1952 |
Judge in Divorce and Matrimonial Causes (1950–1952) Previously acting judge (1937); Industrial Commission (1939–1940) |
HERRON, Sir Leslie James KBE CMG K St J (1902–1973) |
10 February 1941 |
22 May 1972 |
Chief Justice (1962–1972) |
CLANCY, Sir John Sydney James KBE CMG (1895–1970) |
9 July 1947 |
26 May 1965 |
Previously District Court (1931–1947) |
(1904–1976) |
10 September 1947 |
29 September 1972 |
Judge of the Land and Valuation Court (1947–1961) Judge of Appeal (1966–1972) President of the Court of Appeal (1970–1972) |
DWYER, Francis Aloysius (1902–1953) |
5 April 1948 |
16 November 1953 |
|
KINSELLA, Edward Parnell (Ted) CBE (1983–1967) |
18 January 1950 |
9 June 1963 |
Judge in Admiralty (1955–1963) Previously Industrial Commission (1943–1950) |
TOOSE, Stanley Vere (1883–1967) |
13 November 1950 |
5 April 1954 |
Judge in Divorce and Matrimonial Causes (1952–1953) Previously acting judge (1949 until his permanent appointment) |
(1905–1975) |
3 September 1951 |
7 March 1975 |
Chief Judge at Common Law (1973–1975) |
McLELLAND, Charles (Jerry) (1904–1985) |
28 April 1952 |
28 April 1973 |
Probate Judge (1958–1964) Chief Judge in Equity (1958–1972) Judge of Appeal (1966–1973) |
TAYLOR, Sir Alan Russell KBE PC (1901–1969) |
5 May 1952 |
2 September 1952 |
Subsequently Justice of the High Court (1952–1969) |
RICHARDSON, Athol Railton OBE (1897–1982) |
5 May 1952 |
16 October 1967 |
|
BRERETON, Russell Le Gay (1911–1974) |
13 October 1952 |
7 May 1974 |
Previously District Court (1951–1952); acting judge (September 1952 until his permanent appointment) |
(1894–1969) |
30 March 1953 |
9 April 1964 |
Judge in Divorce and Matrimonial Causes (1954–1964) |
MAGUIRE, Hugh (1905–1976) |
25 September 1953 |
31 October 1973 |
Previously acting judge (March 1953 until his permanent appointment) |
MYERS, Frederick George (1902–2001) |
9 October 1953 |
28 July 1971 |
Probate Judge (1966–1970) Previously acting judge (April 1953 until his permanent appointment) |
WALSH, Sir Cyril Ambrose KBE PC (1909–1973) |
8 February 1954 |
2 October 1969 |
Judge in Admiralty (1955–1969) Judge in Commercial Causes (1958–1962) Judge of Appeal (1966–1969) Subsequently Justice of the High Court (1969–1973) |
NEILD, John Roscoe (1892–1975) |
8 February 1954 |
29 April 1962 |
Previously District Court and Chairman of District Court judges (1934–1954) |
FERGUSON, Keith Aubrey (1895–1978) |
16 May 1955 |
5 June 1965 |
Previously acting judge (1941) |
HARDIE, Martin Francis (1907–1974) |
2 September 1955 |
29 June 1974 |
Judge of the Land and Valuation Court (1955–1972) Judge of Appeal (1972–1974) |
MANNING, Sir James Kenneth, Kt (1907–1976) |
5 December 1955 |
28 February 1973 |
Judge of Appeal (1969–1973) Previously acting judge (September 1955 until his permanent appointment) |
COLLINS, Wilfred Herbert Augustine (1909–1991) |
5 December 1955 |
27 February 1979 |
Previously acting judge (September 1955 until his permanent appointment) |
CHAMBERS, Rex (1900–1967) |
3 April 1958 |
31 December 1963 |
|
ELSE-MITCHELL, Rae CMG (1914–2006) |
8 September 1958 |
1 October 1974 |
Judge of the Land and Valuation Court (1962–1972) |
MACFARLAN, Bruce Panton OBE (1910–1978) |
22 July 1959 |
1 November 1974 |
Judge in Admiralty (1960–1974) Judge in Commercial Causes (1966–1974) President of the Courts-Martial Appeal Tribunal (1957–1960) |
JACOBS, Sir Kenneth Sydney KBE (1917–2015) |
21 March 1960 |
7 February 1974 |
Probate Judge (1965) Judge of Appeal (1966–1974) President of the Court of Appeal (1972–1974) Previously acting judge (1959) Subsequently Justice of the High Court (1974–1979) |
(1894–1965) |
15 February 1960 |
24 October 1962 |
Chief Justice Previously Justice of the High Court (1930–1940) |
(1900–1987) |
21 March 1960 |
21 January 1970 |
President of the Court of Appeal (1966–1970) |
NAGLE, John Hailes Flood AO (1913–2009) |
21 March 1960 |
10 July 1983 |
Chief Judge at Common Law (1979–1983) |
TAYLOR, Robert Lindsay (1908–1994) |
10 October 1961 |
19 December 1978 |
Chief Judge at Common Law (1975–1978) |
SELBY, David Mayer ED AM (1906–2002) |
29 June 1962 |
13 March 1976 |
Judge in Divorce and Matrimonial Causes (1964–1973) Chief Judge of the Family Law Division (1973–1976) |
MOFFITT, Athol Randolph AM CMG (1914–2007) |
9 November 1962 |
25 June 1984 |
Judge of Appeal (1970–1984) President of the Court of Appeal (1974–1984) |
(1905–1993) |
25 June 1963 |
16 July 1975 |
Judge of Appeal (1966–1975) Previously acting judge (1962 until his permanent appointment) |
BEGG, Colin Elly (1917–1984) |
3 April 1964 |
9 September 1984 |
Chief Judge at Common Law (1983–1984) |
ALLEN, Phillip Harrison (1908–1995) |
4 August 1964 |
2 February 1978 |
Chief Judge of the Family Law Division (1976–1978) |
O’BRIEN, John (1917–1999) |
31 August 1964 |
11 February 1986 |
Chief Judge of the Criminal Division (1979–1986) |
ISAACS, Simon (1905–1987) |
19 October 1964 |
9 April 1975 |
|
(1907–1973) |
8 November 1965 |
21 January 1973 |
Judge of Appeal (1966–1973) |
STREET, Sir Laurence Lillingston Whistler AC KCMG K St J (1926–2018) |
29 November 1965 |
1 November 1988 |
Chief Judge in Equity and Judge of Appeal (1972–1974) Chief Justice (1974–1988) Judge of the Land and Valuation Court (1974–1979) President of the Court-Martial Appeals Tribunal (1971–1974) |
JENKYN, Norman Alexander (1905–1980) |
29 November 1965 |
29 November 1975 |
Family Law Division |
LEE, Jack Austell AO (1922–2006) |
12 September 1966 |
8 October 1991 |
Chief Judge at Common Law (1988–1991) |
REYNOLDS, Raymond George AO (1913–2002) |
17 October 1967 |
12 February 1983 |
Judge of Appeal (1972–1983) |
HELSHAM, Michael Manifold AO (1921–2002) |
19 August 1968 |
2 April 1986 |
Probate Judge (1971–1977) Chief Judge in Equity (1976–1986) Previously acting judge (June 1968 until his permanent appointment) |
MASON, Sir Anthony Frank AC CBE KBE GBM (1925–) |
1 May 1969 |
6 August 1972 |
Judge of Appeal Subsequently Justice of the High Court of Australia (1972–1987); Chief Justice of the High Court (1987–1995) |
MEARES, Charles Leycester Devenish AC CMG (1909–1994) |
2 June 1969 |
4 February 1979 |
Previously acting judge (1967–1968) |
TOOSE, Paul Burcher CBE (1918–2002) |
2 June 1969 |
30 April 1981 |
Family Law Division |
HOPE, Robert Marsden AC CMG (1919–1999) |
22 September 1969 |
23 July 1989 |
Judge of Appeal (1972–1989) Subsequently acting Judge of Appeal (1989–1992) |
CARMICHAEL, Gordon (1916–2001) |
7 October 1969 |
19 March 1981 |
Family Law Division |
SLATTERY, John Patrick (Jack) AO KGCSG (1918–2014) |
22 January 1970 |
3 August 1988 |
Chief Judge at Common Law (1984–1988) |
LARKINS, Harold Antony (Tony) (1913–1989) |
18 October 1971 |
30 July 1983 |
Family Law Division |
(1912–1997) |
19 October 1971 |
2 February 1982 |
Common Law Division Family Law Division |
KERR, Sir John Robert KCMG L St J PC AK GCMG GCVO (1914–1991) |
23 May 1972 |
27 June 1974 |
Chief Justice Previously (1966–1972) Commonwealth Industrial Court; Deputy President of the Federal Trade Practices and Copyright Tribunals; Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory |
MAHONEY, Dennis Leslie AO (1924–) |
8 August 1972 |
3 February 1997 |
Judge of Appeal (1974–1996) President of the Court of Appeal (1996–1997) |
HOLLAND, Kevin James (1923–2015) |
23 August 1972 |
2 March 1985 |
Equity Division Probate Judge (1978–1985) Subsequently acting judge of the Land and Environment Court (1988); acting judge (1989,1990) |
HUTLEY, Francis Charles (Frank) (1914–1985) |
9 October 1972 |
22 October 1984 |
Judge of Appeal (1973–1984) |
SAMUELS, Gordon Jacob AC CVO (1923–2007) |
20 November 1972 |
23 March 1992 |
Judge of Appeal (1974–1992) Subsequently acting Judge of Appeal (1992–1993) |
SHEPPARD, Ian Fitzhardinge AO (1927–2012) |
6 February 1973 |
8 December 1979 |
Common Law Division Judge in Admiralty (1973–1979) Previously Industrial Commission (1970–1973) Subsequently Federal Court (1979–1997); acting Judge of Appeal (1997–1999) |
BOWEN, Sir Nigel Hubert AC KBE (1911–1994) |
24 July 1973 |
19 December 1976 |
Judge of Appeal Chief Judge in Equity (1974–1976) Subsequently Chief Judge (later Chief Justice) of the Federal Court (1976–1990) |
GLASS, Harold Hyam AO (1918–1989) |
17 September 1973 |
3 July 1987 |
Judge of Appeal (1974–1987) |
WOOTTEN, John Halden (Hal) AC (1922–2021) |
17 September 1973 |
7 October 1983 |
Equity Division |
Honorifics may have been conferred during or after judicial service.
Appointment as a Judge is a precondition to appointment as a Judge of Appeal. Appointment as a Judge of Appeal is a precondition to appointment as President of the Court of Appeal. Accordingly, dual or triple concurrent appointments are not recorded in the table.
References to service in a particular Division may not be exhaustive: see Supreme Court Act 1970 s 41.
‘Select details of Australian judicial service’ omits references to short-term periods of concurrent judicial office in another Australian jurisdiction, such as occurred with William Charles Windeyer J, Priestley JA and Sheller JA. Several judges have also served on the courts of the Pacific Islands, Dubai, Hong Kong or Singapore during their term of office on the Supreme Court and after retirement, see Ch 3: ‘The lives of the judges’.
The concurrent service of judges holding appointments in the colonial Vice Admiralty Court as personae designate (see The Yuri Maru [1927] AC 906 at 912) is recorded in the Law Almanacs. Between 1 July 1911 and 1 January 1989, when the Admiralty Act 1988 (Cth) commenced, the Supreme Court was a Colonial Court of Admiralty with civil jurisdiction in admiralty being exercisable by the Chief Justice or a judge nominated by him.
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