Shan Tennent
Encyclopedia
Shan Eve Tennent is an Australia
n judge. She has been a Judge of the Supreme Court of Tasmania
, the highest ranking court in the state of Tasmania
, since March 2005, and is the first woman to be appointed to the position.
Tennent studied law at the University of Queensland
, subsequently moving to Tasmania
in 1977. She practiced law in Hobart
, specialising in family law cases, and worked as a partner at Hobart firm Page Seager for fifteen years. In 1998 she was appointed as both a magistrate and a coroner, leading to her high-profile 2001 inquest into prisoner deaths in custody at Risdon Prison, the state's largest prison. The subsequent report resulted in a number of sackings, and ultimately led to the decision to completely rebuild the prison.
Tennent was appointed to the Supreme Court of Tasmania
on March 15, 2005 by Governor William Cox
, making her the first woman to sit on the court in its 180-year history. She has presided over a wide range of cases on the bench, among them the high-profile trial on sex charges of former Hobart teacher Sarah Jayne Vercoe.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n judge. She has been a Judge of the Supreme Court of Tasmania
Supreme Court of Tasmania
The Supreme Court of Tasmania is the highest State court in the Australian State of Tasmania. In the Australian court hierarchy, the Supreme Court of Tasmania is in the middle level, and is able to both receive appeals from lower courts, and able to be appealed from.The ordinary sittings of the...
, the highest ranking court in the state of Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
, since March 2005, and is the first woman to be appointed to the position.
Tennent studied law at the University of Queensland
University of Queensland
The University of Queensland, also known as UQ, is a public university located in state of Queensland, Australia. Founded in 1909, it is the oldest and largest university in Queensland and the fifth oldest in the nation...
, subsequently moving to Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
in 1977. She practiced law in Hobart
Hobart
Hobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Founded in 1804 as a penal colony,Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. In 2009, the city had a greater area population of approximately 212,019. A resident of Hobart is known as...
, specialising in family law cases, and worked as a partner at Hobart firm Page Seager for fifteen years. In 1998 she was appointed as both a magistrate and a coroner, leading to her high-profile 2001 inquest into prisoner deaths in custody at Risdon Prison, the state's largest prison. The subsequent report resulted in a number of sackings, and ultimately led to the decision to completely rebuild the prison.
Tennent was appointed to the Supreme Court of Tasmania
Supreme Court of Tasmania
The Supreme Court of Tasmania is the highest State court in the Australian State of Tasmania. In the Australian court hierarchy, the Supreme Court of Tasmania is in the middle level, and is able to both receive appeals from lower courts, and able to be appealed from.The ordinary sittings of the...
on March 15, 2005 by Governor William Cox
William Cox (governor)
William John Ellis Cox, AC, RFD, ED, QC was Governor of Tasmania from 15 December 2004 to 2 April 2008, prior to which he was the state's Chief Justice and Lieutenant Governor....
, making her the first woman to sit on the court in its 180-year history. She has presided over a wide range of cases on the bench, among them the high-profile trial on sex charges of former Hobart teacher Sarah Jayne Vercoe.