The Victorian Bar does not believe that reducing judicial discretion represents a principled response to community concerns about attacks on emergency services workers.
The Governor in Council has today appointed Kevin Joseph Aloysius Lyons QC a Judge of the Supreme Court of Victoria.
The Profession will extend a Welcome at a ceremonial sitting of the Supreme Court in the Banco Court of the Supreme Court, 210 William Street, Melbourne on:
Wednesday 30 May 2018 at 9:15 am
All counsel who are able to do so are asked to attend, robed (wigs are not worn in the Supreme Court).
Annual Bar Dinner - last chance to secure a ticket
Next Friday we have the annual Victorian Bar Dinner at the Plaza Ballroom. Our guest of honour is the Chief Justice of the High Court, the Hon Susan Kiefel AC. Anne Hassan will be speaking on behalf of the Bar. We will be welcoming a long list of honoured guests, including the State and Commonwealth Attorneys-General and Shadow Attorneys; The Hon Martin Pakula MP and John Pesutto MP; and the Hon Christian Porter MP and the Hon Mark Dreyfus QC MP. It promises, as always, to be a great night.
It was a fine week for welcomes and farewells. Transcripts are available of my speeches on behalf of the Bar for the welcome of Justice Melinda Richards and the farewell to Justice Peter Vickery, and of Paul Holdenson QC’s outstanding speech at the farewell to Justice Mark Weinberg AO. All speeches are also able to be video-streamed from the Supreme Court website. If you weren’t there, don’t miss out on viewing Paul Holdenson’s remarkable tribute to Justice Weinberg, or Justice Weinberg’s response.
Increased funding for the justice system in the State budget
On Tuesday, the State government announced a $257.4 million funding boost to the Victorian justice system. $128.9 million will be deployed to appoint a new Supreme Court judge, two new County Court judges and 18 new magistrates. $37.3 million will go to Victoria Legal Aid over four years. $21.8 million has been allocated to the Office of Public Prosecutions. The remaining funds will be used for a range of other purposes, including the Victims Assistance program, the intermediary scheme that provides assistance to children and vulnerable people when providing evidence, the Office of the Public Advocate, the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine and Court Services Victoria.
Victorian Bar Foundation Student Achievement Awards
Avid readers of In Brief (you know who you are) will recall that, last month, the Victorian Bar Foundation, partnering with the City of Hume, recognised the top performers in year 11 Legal Studies from 16 schools in the Hume City Council area, which spans a large sweep of northern Melbourne, including Broadmeadows, Craigieburn and Sunbury. Sixteen winners were awarded a cash prize of $1,500, and a total of 48 students have been offered a personal mentoring opportunity with members of counsel, to assist them in assessing a possible future career at the Victorian Bar. Tonight, all winners, and their mentors, will be attending an exclusive performance at the Melbourne Recital Centre where, in addition to the musical program, they will hear from the Foundation’s Patron, the Hon Justice Michelle Gordon.
The Governor in Council has today appointed Melinda Jane Richards SC, Crown Counsel for the State of Victoria, a Judge of the Supreme Court of Victoria.
The Profession will extend a Welcome at a ceremonial sitting of the Supreme Court in the Banco Court of the Supreme Court, 210 William Street, Melbourne on:
Thursday 10 May 2018 at 9:15 am
All counsel who are able to do so are asked to attend, robed (wigs are not worn in the Supreme Court).
The Governor in Council today appointed The Honourable Justice Michelle Lesley Quigley President of the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal effective 1 June 2018.
