Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory

Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory
Established	1 January 1934
Country	Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Location	Canberra
Coordinates
Decisions are appealed to	High Court of Australia
Judge term length	mandatory retirement by age of 70
Number of positions	4
Website	Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory
Chief Justice of the Australian Capital Territory
Currently	Helen Murrell
Since	28 October 2013

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$250,000), 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.

The courthouse includes two jury courts and in December 2013 The Canberra Times reported that the court would soon be upgraded to meet the requirements of the city's judicial system over the next 50 years.

Current judges

• Chief Justice Helen Murrell (28 October 2013)
• Justice Richard Refshauge (1 February 2008)
• Justice Hilary Penfold (1 February 2008)
• Justice John Burns (1 August 2011)

See also

• List of Judges of the Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory

References

Law Courts of the Australian Capital Territory building