Last Friday, I met with Malcolm Harding SC, Chair of the Industrial Bar Association, to discuss the lack of in-person hearings being listed in that jurisdiction in Victoria. A number of barristers have separately raised with me that there appears to be some reluctance to return to in-person hearings in the Federal jurisdictions more generally and/ or inconsistent practices in relation to in-person hearings. The Bar Council continues to advocate with the heads of jurisdiction for consistency in the return to in-person hearings as the default position for all trials and appeals and, more generally, for a return to in-person hearings.
A welcome sitting to mark the appointment of the Honourable Justice Richard Attiwill as a judge of the Supreme Court of Victoria will be held in the Banco Court , Supreme Court of Victoria, 210 William Street, Melbourne on:
Tuesday, 17 May 2022 at 9:15 am
The ceremony will be live-streamed and available to watch here.
A welcome sitting to mark the appointment of His Honour Judge Daniel Holding as a judge of the County Court of Victoria will be held in Ceremonial Court 3.3, Level 3, 250 William Street, Melbourne on:
A welcome sitting to mark the appointment of Her Honour Magistrate Caroline Boult and His Honour Magistrate Robert Stary will be held in Courtroom 1, Magistrates’ Court of Victoria on:
Friday, 20 May 2022 at 9:00am
The ceremony will be livestreamed via Webex here due to limited court numbers.
On Saturday the ABA’s National Conference concluded. The conference was a great success and I again extend my congratulations to all involved. I was particularly struck by the following remarks of the Hon. Justice Stephen Gageler in his keynote address to the conference:
It is with deep regret that members are advised of the death of Giuseppe John Sala, or Joe as he was known to most, on 20 April 2022. Joe was born on 17 August 1948 on the Southeast Coast of Sicily in a small town named Floridia. He emigrated to Australia with his parents, initially settling, like so many other Italians, in North Melbourne.
A welcome sitting to mark the appointment of Her Honour Judge Kellie Blair as a judge of the County Court of Victoria will be held in Ceremonial Court 3.3, Level 3, 250 William Street, Melbourne on:
A welcome sitting to mark the appointment of His Honour Magistrate Timothy Greenway and His Honour Magistrate Rohan Lawrence will be held in Courtroom 1, Magistrates’ Court of Victoria on:
Friday, 13 May 2022 at 9:00am
The ceremony will be livestreamed via Webex due to limited court numbers here.
The Hon Chris Maxwell AC, President of the Victorian Court of Appeal, has announced that he will retire from the Court on Friday, 15 July 2022. President Maxwell has served the Court with distinction for 17 years since his appointment in 2005 and on behalf of the Bar I extend best wishes to him for the future. Details of any farewell ceremony will be published when known.