District Court of Queensland

	Queensland Court Hierarchy
	Federal Law Courts High Court of Australia; Federal Court of Australia;
	Queensland Law Courts Supreme Court of Queensland Court of Appeal; Trial Division; Court of Disputed Returns; ; District Court of Queensland Planning and Environment Court; Children's Court of Queensland; Coroners Court of Queensland; Land Court; ; Industrial Court of Queensland; Magistrates 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
Authorized 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	Kerry J. O'Brien
Since	20 October 2014

The District Court of Queensland 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]

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]

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.

Composition

Chief Judge of the District Court

Name	Date appointed	Term in office	Notes
Chief Judge Kerry J. O'Brien	20 October 2014 (2014-10-20)	6 years, 96 days	[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 July 2016, the judges who sat at the District Court, together with their location, were:[3]

Name	Location	Date appointed	Term in office	Comments
Judge David C. Andrews SC	Brisbane	28 March 2008 (2008-03-28)	12 years, 302 days
Judge John R. Baulch SC	Townsville	10 September 2010 (2010-09-10)	10 years, 136 days
Judge Helen P. Bowskill QC	Brisbane	10 November 2014 (2014-11-10)	6 years, 75 days
Judge Sarah Bradley	Ipswich	25 March 1999 (1999-03-25)	21 years, 305 days
Judge Michael J. F. Burnett	Rockhampton	3 November 2014 (2014-11-03)	6 years, 82 days
Judge Brendan Butler AM, SC	Brisbane	15 September 2008 (2008-09-15)	12 years, 131 days
Judge Leanne Clare SC	Brisbane	2 April 2008 (2008-04-02)	12 years, 297 days
Judge Ian Dearden	Brisbane	28 February 2005 (2005-02-28)	15 years, 331 days
Judge Brian G. Devereaux SC	Brisbane	17 July 2009 (2009-07-17)	11 years, 191 days
Justice Julie M. Dick SC	Brisbane	14 December 2000 (2000-12-14)	20 years, 41 days
Judge Kiernan DorneyQC	Brisbane	19 February 2010 (2010-02-19)	10 years, 340 days
Judge Stuart G. Durward SC	Townsville	21 August 2006 (2006-08-21)	14 years, 156 days
Judge William G. Everson	Brisbane	2 April 2008 (2008-04-02)	12 years, 297 days
Judge Brad Farr SC	Brisbane	11 August 2011 (2011-08-11)	9 years, 166 days
Judge Brian Harrison	Cairns	19 February 2010 (2010-02-19)	10 years, 340 days
Judge Alexander Horneman-Wren SC	Ipswich	20 October 2012 (2012-10-20)	8 years, 96 days
Judge Richard Jones	Brisbane	19 February 2010 (2010-02-19)	10 years, 340 days
Judge Fleur Y. Kingham	Brisbane	17 July 2006 (2006-07-17)	14 years, 191 days
Judge Gregory J. Koppenol	Ipswich	21 September 2007 (2007-09-21)	13 years, 125 days
Judge Gary Long SC	Maroochydore	13 May 2011 (2011-05-13)	9 years, 256 days
Judge Terence D. Martin SC	Brisbane	13 July 2007 (2007-07-13)	13 years, 195 days
Judge Dean P. Morzone QC	Cairns	27 October 2014 (2014-10-27)	6 years, 89 days
Judge Tony Moynihan QC	Brisbane	25 June 2015 (2015-06-25)	5 years, 213 days
Judge Douglas J. McGill SC	Brisbane	9 September 1996 (1996-09-09)	24 years, 137 days
Judge Katherine M. McGinness	Southport	17 July 2009 (2009-07-17)	11 years, 191 days
Judge Michael J. Noud SC	Brisbane	17 July 1989 (1989-07-17)	31 years, 191 days
Judge Michael E. Rackemann SC	Brisbane	12 January 2004 (2004-01-12)	17 years, 12 days
Judge Anthony J. Rafter SC	Brisbane	15 December 2006 (2006-12-15)	14 years, 40 days
Judge David Reid	Brisbane	19 February 2010 (2010-02-19)	10 years, 340 days
Judge Deborah Richards	Brisbane	26 November 1998 (1998-11-26)	22 years, 59 days
Judge Orazio Rinaudo	Brisbane	8 July 2014 (2014-07-08)	6 years, 200 days	Also Chief Magistrate
Judge John M. Robertson	Maroochydore	23 September 1994 (1994-09-23)	26 years, 123 days
Judge Julie Ryrie	Brisbane	28 February 2005 (2005-02-28)	15 years, 331 days
Judge David G. Searles	Brisbane	13 July 2007 (2007-07-13)	13 years, 195 days
Judge Michael J. Shanahan	Brisbane	19 August 1999 (1999-08-19)	21 years, 158 days	Also President of Children's Court
Judge Suzanne C. Sheridan	Brisbane	24 November 2014 (2014-11-24)	6 years, 61 days	Deputy President, Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal
Judge Paul E. Smith	Brisbane	8 March 2013 (2013-03-08)	7 years, 322 days	Also Judge Administrator
Judge Clive F. Wall RFD, QC	Southport	11 September 1996 (1996-09-11)	24 years, 135 days

References

"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)
"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.

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[Factsheet-1] "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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