Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory
Encyclopedia
The Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory is the superior court for the ACT
. It has unlimited jurisdiction
within the territory in civil
matters (although it usually only hears matters involving more than A$50,000), and hears the most serious criminal
matters. In the Australian court hierarchy
it is one of 8 state and territory Supreme Courts having unlimited jurisdiction in their respective parts of Australia.
The court was established on 1 January 1934 by the Seat of Government Supreme Court Act 1933 (Cth). The first judge of the court was Lionel Lukin
. The first Chief Judge was Russell Walter Fox
, appointed when the office was created in 1977. It was substituted with the office of Chief Justice in 1982. The first Chief Justice was Richard Blackburn
.
Pursuant to section 37E of the Supreme Court Act 1933, the court is known as the Court of Appeal when it exercises its appellate jurisdiction under Part 2A of the Act.
Australian Capital Territory
The Australian Capital Territory, often abbreviated ACT, is the capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and is the smallest self-governing internal territory...
. It has unlimited jurisdiction
Jurisdiction
Jurisdiction is the practical authority granted to a formally constituted legal body or to a political leader to deal with and make pronouncements on legal matters and, by implication, to administer justice within a defined area of responsibility...
within the territory in civil
Civil law (common law)
Civil law, as opposed to criminal law, is the branch of law dealing with disputes between individuals or organizations, in which compensation may be awarded to the victim...
matters (although it usually only hears matters involving more than A$50,000), and hears the most serious criminal
Criminal law
Criminal law, is the body of law that relates to crime. It might be defined as the body of rules that defines conduct that is not allowed because it is held to threaten, harm or endanger the safety and welfare of people, and that sets out the punishment to be imposed on people who do not obey...
matters. In the Australian court hierarchy
Australian court hierarchy
There are two streams within the hierarchy of Australian courts, the federal stream and the state and territory stream. While the federal courts and the court systems in each state and territory are separate, the High Court of Australia remains the ultimate court of appeal for the Australian...
it is one of 8 state and territory Supreme Courts having unlimited jurisdiction in their respective parts of Australia.
The court was established on 1 January 1934 by the Seat of Government Supreme Court Act 1933 (Cth). The first judge of the court was Lionel Lukin
Lionel Lukin (judge)
Justice Lionel Oscar Lukin was appointed as the first judge of the Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory, Australia on 25 January 1934 and remained the sole Judge of the Court until November 1943 when he retired due to ill health....
. The first Chief Judge was Russell Walter Fox
Russell Walter Fox
Russell Walter Fox AC QC LLB is an Australian author, educator, jurist and former chief judge of the Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory. He is best known for his extensive report on uranium mining in Australia in the early 1980s....
, appointed when the office was created in 1977. It was substituted with the office of Chief Justice in 1982. The first Chief Justice was Richard Blackburn
Richard Blackburn
Sir Richard Arthur Blackburn OBE was a judge, prominent legal academic and former military officer in Australia. He became a judge of three separate courts in Australia, and eventually became chief justice of the Australian Capital Territory. In the 1970s he decided one of Australia's earliest...
.
Pursuant to section 37E of the Supreme Court Act 1933, the court is known as the Court of Appeal when it exercises its appellate jurisdiction under Part 2A of the Act.
Current judges
- Chief Justice Terence HigginsTerence Higgins (judge)Terence John Higgins is Chief Justice of the Australian Capital Territory, a territory of Australia.-Early years:Higgins was born in 1943 in Hobart, Tasmania. He was educated at St Augustines Christian Brothers College in Yarraville, Victoria, and subsequently at St Edmund's College in Canberra...
(31 January 2003) - Justice Richard Refshauge (1 February 2008)
- Justice Hilary Penfold (1 February 2008)
- Justice John Burns (1 August 2011)