District Court of Queensland

District Court of Queensland
District Court of Queensland
	Cairns Courthouse, a permanent location for the District Court
Established	1866–1921; 1958
Jurisdiction	Queensland
Location	Queen Elizabeth II Courts of Law in Brisbane; Beenleigh; Cairns; Ipswich; Maroochydore; Rockhampton; Southport, Townsville
Composition method	Vice-regal appointment upon nomination by the Premier following the advice of the Attorney-General and Cabinet
Authorised by	Queensland Parliament via the: District Court Act 1967 (QLD)
Appeals to	Supreme Court of Queensland
Appeals from	Magistrates Court of Queensland
Judge term length	mandatory retirement by age of 70
Number of positions	39
Website	www.courts.qld.gov.au
Chief Judge
Currently	Brian Devereaux SC
Since	17 August 2020

The District Court of Queensland (QDC) is the second tier in the court hierarchy of Queensland, Australia.^[1] The Court deals with serious criminal offences such as rape, armed robbery and fraud. Juries are used to decide if defendants are guilty or not guilty.

The original court was established in 1866 to ease the workload of the Supreme Court of Queensland. However, in 1921 the Queensland Parliament decided District Courts were no longer necessary and the courts were abolished. They were re-established by Parliament in 1958, again to relieve the workload in the Supreme Court. The present court is constituted under the District Court of Queensland Act 1967 (Qld).^[2] That Act amalgamated the previous District Court in existence prior to 1967 into the new District Court.

The District Court sits in 32 locations across Queensland. Judges also travel throughout the state to hear matters in regional and remote areas.

Decisions made by the District Court may be heard on appeal to the Supreme Court; and the District Court may sit as an appellate court for decisions made in the Magistrates Court of Queensland.^[1] The unreported judgments of the District Courts is published on the Queensland Judgments website.

Jurisdiction

Civil

The District Court has jurisdiction to hear civil matters for which the amount in dispute is less than or equal to $750,000, and more than $150,000.^[1] Civil disputes in which the amount in dispute is more than $750,000 are heard by the Supreme Court, while those in which the amount is $150,000 or less are heard by either the Magistrates Court or the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal.^[1] District Court civil decisions are published on the Queensland Judgments website.

Criminal

The District Court has the jurisdiction to hear criminal matters in which the defendant has been charged with a serious indictable offence (such as armed robbery, rape, and dangerous driving).^[1] These trials require a jury. District Court criminal decisions are published on the Queensland Judgments website.

Composition

Chief Judge of the District Court

Name	Date appointed	Term in office	Notes
Chief Judge Brian G Devereaux SC	17 August 2020 (2020-08-17)	1,400 days as of 17 June, 2024	^[3]

Judges of the District Court

The District Court operates permanent courts in Brisbane, located in the Queen Elizabeth II Courts of Law building on George Street, Brisbane CBD; and Cairns, Ipswich, Maroochydore, Rockhampton, Southport, Townsville, and sits in regional areas as required.^[1]^[4] In Brisbane, the District Court shares the location with the Supreme Court.

As of April 2021^[update], the judges who sat at the District Court, together with their location, were:^[3]

Name	Location	Date appointed	Term in office	Comments
Judge John Allen QC	Brisbane	17 December 2018 (2018-12-17)	5 years, 331 days	Deputy President, Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal
Judge Ken Barlow QC	Brisbane	18 June 2019 (2019-06-18)	5 years, 147 days
Judge Michael J. F. Burnett	Rockhampton	3 November 2014 (2014-11-03)	10 years, 9 days
Judge Michael Byrne QC	Brisbane	20 January 2020 (2020-01-20)	4 years, 297 days
Judge Glen Cash QC	Maroochydore	2 July 2018 (2018-07-02)	6 years, 133 days
Judge Craig Chowdhury	Beenleigh	13 May 2016 (2016-05-13)	8 years, 183 days
Judge Leanne Clare SC	Brisbane	2 April 2008 (2008-04-02)	16 years, 224 days
Judge Jeffrey Clarke	Rockhampton	31 August 2020 (2020-08-31)	4 years, 73 days
Judge John Coker	Townsville	8 March 2018 (2018-03-08)	6 years, 249 days
Judge Geraldine Dann	Southport	7 September 2020 (2020-09-07)	4 years, 66 days
Judge Ian Dearden	Brisbane	28 February 2005 (2005-02-28)	19 years, 258 days
Justice Julie M. Dick SC	Brisbane	14 December 2000 (2000-12-14)	23 years, 334 days
Judge William G. Everson	Brisbane	2 April 2008 (2008-04-02)	16 years, 224 days
Judge Tracy Fantin QC	Brisbane	16 October 2017 (2017-10-16)	7 years, 27 days
Judge Brad Farr SC	Brisbane	11 August 2011 (2011-08-11)	13 years, 93 days
Judge Terry Gardiner	Brisbane	8 July 2019 (2019-07-08)	5 years, 127 days	Also Chief Magistrate
Judge Alexander Horneman-Wren SC	Ipswich	20 October 2012 (2012-10-20)	12 years, 23 days
Judge Rowan Jackson QC	Southport	31 August 2020 (2020-08-31)	4 years, 73 days
Judge Nathan Jarro	Brisbane	26 March 2018 (2018-03-26)	6 years, 231 days
Judge Richard Jones	Brisbane	19 February 2010 (2010-02-19)	14 years, 267 days
Judge Nicole Kefford	Brisbane	14 November 2016 (2016-11-14)	7 years, 364 days
Judge David Kent QC	Southport	7 March 2016 (2016-03-07)	8 years, 250 days
Judge Gary Long SC	Maroochydore	13 May 2011 (2011-05-13)	13 years, 183 days
Judge Vicki Loury QC	Brisbane	17 December 2018 (2018-12-17)	5 years, 331 days
Judge Dennis Lynch QC	Ipswich	2 December 2016 (2016-12-02)	7 years, 346 days
Judge Gregory Lynham	Townsville	24 April 2017 (2017-04-24)	7 years, 202 days
Judge Dean P. Morzone QC	Cairns	27 October 2014 (2014-10-27)	10 years, 16 days
Judge Tony Moynihan QC	Brisbane	25 June 2015 (2015-06-25)	9 years, 140 days
Judge Catherine Muir	Southport	14 November 2016 (2016-11-14)	28 years, 64 days
Judge Katherine M. McGinness	Southport	17 July 2009 (2009-07-17)	7 years, 364 days
Judge Bernard Porter QC	Brisbane	28 August 2017 (2017-08-28)	7 years, 76 days
Judge Michael E. Rackemann SC	Brisbane	12 January 2004 (2004-01-12)	20 years, 305 days
Judge Anthony J. Rafter SC	Brisbane	15 December 2006 (2006-12-15)	17 years, 333 days
Judge David Reid	Brisbane	19 February 2010 (2010-02-19)	14 years, 267 days
Judge Deborah Richards	Brisbane	26 November 1998 (1998-11-26)	25 years, 352 days
Judge Orazio Rinaudo	Brisbane	8 July 2014 (2014-07-08)	10 years, 127 days
Judge Jennifer Rosengren	Brisbane	11 September 2017 (2017-09-11)	7 years, 62 days
Judge Suzanne C. Sheridan	Brisbane	24 November 2014 (2014-11-24)	9 years, 354 days
Judge Paul E. Smith	Brisbane	8 March 2013 (2013-03-08)	11 years, 249 days	Also Judge Administrator
Judge Michael Williamson QC	Brisbane	19 March 2018 (2018-03-19)	6 years, 238 days

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "The District Court of Queensland" (PDF). Department of Justice and Attorney-General (Queensland). Government of Queensland. 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 November 2013. Retrieved 15 June 2012.
^ District Court of Queensland Act 1967 (Qld)
^ ^a ^b "Judges of the District Court contacts". Department of Justice and Attorney-General (Queensland). Government of Queensland. 26 July 2016. Archived from the original on 17 August 2016. Retrieved 4 August 2016.
^ "Courthouses contacts". Department of Justice ad Attorney-General (Queensland). Government of Queensland. 2012. Retrieved 16 June 2012.

[Factsheet-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "The District Court of Queensland" (PDF). Department of Justice and Attorney-General (Queensland). Government of Queensland. 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 November 2013. Retrieved 15 June 2012.

[2] District Court of Queensland Act 1967 (Qld)

[Contacts-3] "Judges of the District Court contacts". Department of Justice and Attorney-General (Queensland). Government of Queensland. 26 July 2016. Archived from the original on 17 August 2016. Retrieved 4 August 2016.

[Courthouses-4] "Courthouses contacts". Department of Justice ad Attorney-General (Queensland). Government of Queensland. 2012. Retrieved 16 June 2012.

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