LAW1111 Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Kenneth Hayne, Robert French, Susan Crennan
TOPIC&3:&WORKING&WITH&CASE&LAW&
1. Judges)in)Australia)
!
WHO!APPOINTS!JUDGES?!
!
• Federal!Judges!appointed!by!Governor-General!on!recommendation!of!the!Federal!Cabinet!!
o Recommendation+is+always+followed!
o Commonwealth+Attorney+General+is+required+to+consult+with+the+State+on+judges+to+be+appointed+
for+Federal+Courts!
!
!
• State!Judges!appointed!by!‘Governor!in!Council’!!
o !State+Governor+acting+on+advice+of+state+ministers+(i.e.+State+executive+Council)+
!
HOW!LONG!ARE!THEY!APPOINTED!FOR?!
!
• Judicial!terms!are!fixed!
o To+preserve+the+independence+of+the+Judiciary+from+the+Government!
o Judges+can’t+be+dismissed,+except+under+certain,+limited+situations+(e.g.+if+they+fail+to+
demonstrate+good+behaviour)!
!
!
• Federal!judges!can!be!removed!for!‘proved!misbehaviour!or!incapacity’!(Constitution!of!
Australia!s.!72)!
• Judicial+Misbehaviour+and+Incapacity+(Parliamentary+Commissions)+Act+2012+(Cth):+!
o Provides+a+mechanism+that+assists+the+Parliament’s+consideration+of+the+removal+of+judges+
under+s.+72+of+the+Constitution+!
o Enables+Parliamentary+Commissions+to+be+established+to+investigate+the+most+serious+of+
allegations,+where+a+judge’s+misbehaviour+or+capacity+may+warrant+their+removal+from+
office!
!
• Federal!judges!must!retire!at!70!years!of!age!(Constitution!of!Australia!Section!72)!
!
IN!APPOINTING!JUDGES,!GOVERNMENTS!MAY!CONSIDER:!
!
1. Formal!qualifications!
• They+have+to+be+a+barrister+or+solicitor+for+some+time+before+they+can+be+considered+to+be+
appointed+as+a+judge!
!
2. Seniority!
• How+senior+are+they?+!
• Most+judges+are+appointed+from+the+ranks+of+QC+(Queen’s+Counsel)+or+Senior+Counsels+!
!
3. Respect!among!colleagues!
• Judges+tend+to+have+built+up+quite+a+good+amount+of+respect+in+their+legal+profession+
o Reason+for+why+the+State+and+Federal+Governments+consult+widely+before+appointing+
judges+
+
4. Political!Philosophy!!
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