List of Judges of the District Court of NSW



In 1858 the District Courts were established with a civil jurisdiction up to 200 replacing the Court of Requests which only sat in limited places, and had a general claim limit of 10 to £30. Initially each judge was appointed to a specific district. From 1955 judges were appointed to all district courts.
Serious criminal matters that were not punishable by death were heard by the Courts of Quarter Sessions. From 1858 each District Court judge had a concurrent appointment as [|Chairman] of the Courts of Quarter Sessions for the district to which they were appointed. In 1973 the separate district courts and courts of quarter sessions were replaced by a single District Court which exercised both criminal and civil jurisdiction throughout the state.
The position of Chairman of the District Court Judges was introduced in 1950 to exercise administrative functions in relation to the courts similar to role of the Chief Justice in the Supreme Court. The role was renamed [|Chief Judge] with the restructure of the courts in 1973.
The Compensation Court of New South Wales was abolished on 1 January 2004 and the judges were transferred to the District Court, maintaining their seniority based on the date of their appointment to the Compensation Court.
In 1918 the Judges Retirement Act 1918, operated to retrospectively impose a retirement age of 70 immediately affecting Charles Heydon, Ernest Docker and Grantley Fitzhardinge and subsequently other judges in a similar position, such as Hugh Hamilton and Alfred Backhouse.

PositionNameAppointment
commenced
Appointment
ended
Term in officeCommentsNotes
16 2 19507 2 1954Acting Judge of the Supreme Court
Judge of the Supreme Court
yearsActing Judge District Court
Judge District Court
25 5 195913 3 1971
1 4 197112.12.1994
13.12.19947 8 2014Director of Public Prosecutions
Judge of the Supreme Court
8 8 2014Judge of District Court
Chief Magistrate Local Court
Judge of the Supreme Court
22.12.185811.06.1865Commissioner to the Courts of Requests
Judge of the Supreme Court
22.12.185828.11.1863Commissioner to the Courts of Requests
22.12.185831 7 1889Acting Judge of the Supreme Court
3 2 1859 10 years, 210–239 days
3 2 185921 2 1859Judge of the Supreme Court
1 3 185930 6 1861
25 7 186130 5 1867
25 7 1861 years
1 7 18617 6 1875
15.12.18635 11 1880
14.12.1865 yearsJudge of the civil and criminal courts of Western Australia.
20 8 186731 7 1874
10 9 1869 years
8 6 187530 6 1898 yearsActing Judge District Court
21 9 1874 yearsDeputy Judge District Court
Commissioner of the Court of Claims
5 1 188131.12.1918 Judge on Norfolk Island
years
31.12.1918 years
yearsActing Judge of the Supreme Court
24.10.1914 years
years
years
1 3 190031.12.1918 President of the Court of Arbitration
Court of Industrial Arbitration
1 8 190829 5 1928President Industrial Court
2 8 19115 1 1926Acting Judge District Court
Court of Industrial Arbitration
Industrial Court of NSW
12 5 19141 7 1924Acting Judge District Court
3 11 1914 12 years, 28–58 daysSolicitor General for New South Wales
31 1 191920.12.1929
<1 year
3 2 191912.10.1932
15 3 192029 9 1939
14 8 1922
1 2 1927Judge on Norfolk Island
28 1 19305 9 1938
1 7 19245 7 1935
1 7 192831 7 1939Judge of the Court of Industrial Arbitration
28 5 19286 9 1938
13.11.19319 7 1947Judge of the Supreme Court
1 4 193331 5 1949Acting Judge District Court
Acting Judge of the Supreme Court
1 1 19347 2 1954Chairman District Court Judges
Acting Judge of the Supreme Court
Judge of the Supreme Court
1 8 193512 2 1952Acting Judge District Court
Acting Judge of the Supreme Court
7 6 193714.10.1938
6 9 193821 5 1939Acting Judge District Court
Acting Judge of the Supreme Court
Member Industrial Commission of NSW
Judge of the Supreme Court
1 10 193831 8 1944
3 10 193825.12.1942
1 8 193927.10.1950Acting Judge District Court
27 3 19397 12 1956
1 6 1939 years<
1 8 1939 25 years, 273–303 days
1 1 194116 8 1948Acting Judge District Court
19.01.19436 10 1943Member of the Industrial Commission of NSW
Judge of the Supreme Court
7 10 1943 years
23 8 194425 8 1947Commonwealth Court of Conciliation and Arbitration
President Commonwealth Conciliation and Arbitration Commission
15.10.1945 years
1 12 194722 5 1951
17.12.1947 yearsActing Judge District Court
Chairman of District Court Judges
1 9 194819.12.1970Acting Judge District Court
7 2 1949 yearsActing Judge District Court
27 2 195011 9 1960Acting Judge of the Supreme Court
11.12.195012.11.1971
19 7 195110 9 1952Judge of the Supreme Court
22.10.195115.02.1977Acting Judge of the Supreme Court
12 9 195220.02.1967Acting Judge of the Supreme Court
27.10.1952 years
1 4 1953 years
1 4 19538 3 1971
1 4 1953 years
4 2 1954 years
9 6 1954 years
11.10.1954 years
16 5 1955 years
12 9 1955 years
20 5 1957 years
10 6 1957 years
3 4 1958 years
3 4 1958 years
4 4 1960 years
4 10 196017.11.1969
1 3 1961 years
4 11 1963 years
28 1 1964 years
22 3 1966 years
18.10.19653 2 1973
4 3 1966 years
31 1 1967 years
8 8 196720 1 1988
1 2 1968
1 2 196824 7 1974Acting Judge of the Supreme Court
20 5 1968 yearsActing Judge of the Supreme Court 1967
20 5 1968 years
2 12 19682 12 1987
19 1 197015 9 1974
20 4 1970 years
2 2 1971 years
2 2 197125 7 1982
1 4 1971 years
15.11.197129 4 1988Judge of the Supreme Court
8 8 1972 years
16.10.1972 years
30 1 1973 years
30 1 1973 years
27 4 1973 years
30 5 197328 3 1991
9 10 1973 years
19 3 1974 years
7 8 1974 years
7 8 1974
11 3 19758 4 1994
1 2 1977
22 1 1993


Head of NSW Crime Commission
Acting Judge District Court
01.02.197703.12.1978Judge of the Supreme Court
9 3 1977 years
6 4 1977Acting Judge District Court
23 8 1977 yearsJudge of the Supreme Court
4 10 197718.08.1980Judge of the Land and Environment Court
1 5 197817 9 1986
15 5 1978 years
15 5 197822 3 2004
28 8 1978
23 7 197918.11.2011Compensation Court
31 3 19806 7 1987
5 5 198031 1 2003
18 8 1980
30 3 198117.12.1986
1 9 1981
7 9 198118.12.1989
24.11.198118 7 1987
23 8 19826 5 2006
23 8 198227 9 2000
14 3 19835 2 2007
20 5 1983
3 6 19833 6 1985Judge of the Land and Environment Court
Judge of Appeal
3 8 198325 3 1998
3 8 198315 2 1996
26 8 198318.12.1995
9 9 19834 5 1990
7 10 198316 8 2013
18.11.19833 8 2001
18 6 1984
31 8 198425 7 1989Judge of the Supreme Court
31 8 19846 12 2005
23.11.198431 5 2012Compensation Court
19 4 198519.12.1992
1 7 19851 5 1988Judge of the Family Court
20.12.19855 9 1992
5 8 19861 2 1993Judge of the Supreme Court
22 9 198627.10.2011
22 9 1986
29 9 198619 9 1995Judge of the Federal Court
7 10 1986
20.10.19861 3 2003
27 1 198718 7 2003
20 7 1987
20 7 198724 7 2006
17 8 1987Subsequently appointed a Judge of the Supreme Court
17 8 198730 4 1988Subsequently appointed Associate Judge of the District Court of NSW
19 8 19871 2 2009Acting Judge of the Supreme Court
19 8 198730 9 1997
2 2 1988
2 2 1988
4 2 1988
4 2 1988
10 5 19884 11 2004
13 5 198827 9 2013
13 5 198821 7 1993
16 5 1988
20 5 198814 7 1997
30 5 198823 9 2009Acting Judge of the ACT Supreme Court
9 9 1988
25.10.198921 5 2006
25.10.19881 11 1999
15.11.198919 3 1990
7 5 1990
7 5 199017.11.1997
29 6 19905 10 2004member Dust Diseases Tribunal, Compensation Court
24 9 1990
30 1 1991
1 3 199116 7 1992
15 3 1991
23 8 199111 8 2010
9 9 199111 2 2005
20 9 199129 6 2012
18 3 199216.11.2004
1 4 199231 3 2004
14 5 1992
11 8 199213 6 2004
11 9 19921 6 2007
9 10 19929 10 2006Compensation Court
7 10 1992
27 1 199323 9 2009Compensation Court
2 2 199311 8 2003
22 2 199316 5 2002
6 9 199315.12.2006Compensation Court
7 9 199317 3 2006Compensation Court
8 9 199311 3 2004
1 11 199329 8 2014
28 3 199427 3 2004
2 8 1994Compensation Court
30 9 19946 5 2016Compensation Court
31 1 199511 4 2012
13 3 1995
30 1 1996
12 2 199627 9 2000
15 5 19966 9 2000Judge of the Supreme Court
17 5 199615 3 2005
6 6 199614.11.2017Compensation Court
13 9 199628.10.2013Chief Justice of the Australian Capital Territory
28 2 1997
21 7 199724.11.2017
21 7 199728 2 2013
24 7 19975 9 2014Compensation Court
25 7 19971 6 2006Compensation Court
28 7 199712 7 2010Judge of the Family Court
4 8 199716 2 2007
4 8 199713 4 2008
29 8 199719 7 2005
8 9 199715 5 2013Compensation Court
21.11.199710 2 2017
24.11.199728 8 2010
3 2 199818.12.2010
3 2 19987 10 2009
4 2 19983 7 2014
10 7 199828 7 2013
7 8 199812 4 2005Judge of the Supreme Court
Commissioner of Independent Commission Against Corruption
10 8 199830 4 2014
13 8 1998
9 12 199817.11.2010Compensation Court
15 2 1999
27 4 19991 5 2011
19 7 199930.11.2011
19 7 199929 3 2013
1 2 200013 4 2012
17 2 200028 8 2006Judge of the Supreme Court, Chief Judge District Court
8 5 20007 2 2013
8 5 200013.11.2015
3 10 2000Acting Judge of the Supreme Court 7 Jul to 29 Aug 2008
3 10 200028 1 2019Acting Judge of the ACT Supreme Court
20.10.200020 2 2015
7 5 2001
21 5 2001
23 7 200129 6 2012
27 8 200127 9 2013Acting Judge of the ACT Supreme Court
4 3 20024 05 2008Acting Judge of the Supreme Court
Judge of the Supreme Court
11 3 2002
24 6 200229 6 2012
13 9 200228 1 2019Acting Judge of the ACT Supreme Court
17 2 200315 3 2017
17 2 20033 9 2015
11 8 2003
3 2 20042 2 2014
14 2 200529 7 2016
11 4 20056 5 2008
4 5 20052 3 2009Acting Judge of the Supreme Court
Judge of the Supreme Court
27 7 2005Senior Judge, Drug Court of New South Wales
21 4 2006
1 5 2006
1 5 2006President, Children's Court
11 7 200615 5 2018
15 8 200628 1 2018
30 1 2007
6 2 200728 2 2019President Mental Health Review Tribunal of New South Wales
20 3 2007
16 4 20073 2 2018
5 11 20077 12 2018
30 1 2008President Mental Health Review Tribunal of New South Wales
15 5 2008
15 5 20084 7 2016Judge of the ACT Supreme Court
17 6 2008
2 3 2009
14 4 2009
14 4 2009
20 7 2009
29 7 2009
20 7 2010Chief Magistrate Local Court
27 7 2010
11 8 2010
20 9 2010
7 2 2011
7 3 2011
15 3 2011
13 2 2012
12 3 2012
19 3 2012
16 4 2012
16 4 2012
31 5 2012
24 9 2012
15.10.2012
15.10.2012
6 5 2013
24 6 2013
15 7 2013
16 9 2013
23 9 2013
28 4 20143 11 2014Judge of the Supreme Court
5 5 2014
1 9 2014
16.10.2014Attorney General
29.10.2014
17 2 2015
17 8 2015
17 8 2015
7 9 201522 8 2016
19.11.2015
11 4 2016
11 4 2016
18 4 2016
30 5 2016
12 7 2016
8 8 2016
8 8 2016
15 8 2016
15 8 2016
22 8 2016
31 1 2017
3 4 2017
24 5 2017
3 10 2017
30 1 2018
9 4 2018Deputy Chief Magistrate Local Court
22 5 2018
23 1 2019President, Workers Compensation Commission of New South Wales
4 2 2019
4 2 2019
7 2 2019
11 2 2019
11 2 2019
14 2 2019
14 2 2019
18 2 2019
18 2 2019Judge of the Federal Circuit Court
21 2 2019
28 2 2019Judge of the District Court
Deputy President, NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal
30 9 2019
30 1 186031.12.1860Master of the Supreme Court
<1 year
31 5 188128 4 1882Acting Judge of the Supreme Court
Judge of the Supreme Court
years
1 2 1894
1 2 1905
15 7 1907
1 10 1920
26 2 1894
31 3 1905
26 7 1907
20.11.1920

Acting Judge of the Supreme Court
14.11.1896 yearsAttorney General
Premier
Judge of the Supreme Court
16.10.191614 7 1917Acting Judge of the Supreme Court
Judge of the Supreme Court
27 2 1928
23 7 1928
11 3 1928
31 8 1928

Acting Judge of the Supreme Court
Judge of the Supreme Court
7 6 193330 6 1933Acting Judge of the Supreme Court
Judge of the Supreme Court
1 2 19399 2 1941Judge of the Supreme Court,
Chief Justice of NSW
Governor of NSW
1 1 194731.12.1947Acting Judge of the Supreme Court
Judge of the Supreme Court
yearsAssistant Commissioner Independent Commission Against Corruption
Judge of the Federal Court
Judge of Appeal President, Court of Appeal
Governor of NSW
yearsJudge of the Supreme Court
1 7 199811 4 2002Judge of the Supreme Court
President Industrial Commission of NSW
1 2 19882 1 1990Acting Judge of the Supreme Court
31.12.1990Director of Public Prosecutions
yearsJudge of the Supreme Court
yearsJudge of the Supreme Court