Search
This area does not yet contain any content.
Justinian News

The law and its miracles ... Party allies selected for judicial elevation in Qld ... Justice Jenni Hill's brother ... More entries for the Golden Tortoise award ... Federal Court muddles the maths, again ... Theodora reports ... Read more >>

Politics Media Law Society


Rupert World ... Lord Moloch’s pal Doug the Diva – driving Washington spare … News UK’s model for unionism … What next for the Washington Post? … Concealed coal lobbyists running an anti-Teal campaign … More corruption busting for Stinging Nettle … The litigation industry spawned by Lehrmann ... Read on >> 

Free Newsletter
Justinian Columnists

Party time for Dicey ... Heydon's book - a pathway to rehabilitation ... The predatory man and the clever intellect - all wrapped up in the one person ... Academic tome and cancel agenda ... Despite the plaudits the record of abuse doesn't vanish ... Book launch with young associates at a safe distance ... Procrustes thinks out loud ... Read more >> 

Blow the whistle

 

News snips ...


The Lubyanka ... Bullying investigation into former Federal Court judge goes nowhere ... "Complaint unsubstantiated" ... Phew! ... Recommendations about staff education ... Nothing recommended for judicial induction ... More >> 

 

Justinian's Bloggers

Governance turmoil at Tiny Town Law Society ... Night of the long knives ... Lakeside in Canberra ... ACT Law Society upheaval over governance changes ... Bodies carted out of the council room ... Blood on the carpet ... Fraught litigation another distraction ... From Gang Gang ... Read more >> 

"We're in unchartered territory here. A Pope hasn't died before during an Australian election campaign."  

Jane Norman, National Affairs Correspondent, ABC News ... April 21, 2025 ... Read more flatulence ... 


Justinian Featurettes

Letter from Rome ... Judges on strike ... Too much "reform" ... Berlusconi legacy ... Referendum on the way ... Constitutional court inflames the Meloni regime with decision on boat people ... Insults galore ... Silvana Olivetti reports ... Read more >> 


Justinian's archive

Tea is for Tippy ... Life of a tiffstaff ... Bright, ambitious and, when it comes to the crucial things, hopeless ... Milking the glory of the gig ...  Introducing Tippy, our new blogger filing from within the concrete cage at Queens Square ... From Justinian's Archive, March 15, 2010 ...  Read more >> 


 

 

« Your blindfold is slipping | Main | LSB recoups payments from defaulting casino solicitor »
Friday
Mar182011

Spigelman retirement opens wide field of contenders

NSW Chief Justice Jim Spigelman wraps-up on May 31 ... Personal refreshment ... "Diverse range of tasks" awaits ... Who's next? ... Judges' associate Ginger Snatch reports on possible candidates

The news was on the street for a good 48 hours before the announcement from the Spigeltent that the chief justice was bowing out after 13 years running the big justice shop at Queens Square.

The missive from the Supreme Court came on Michael Kirby's 73 birthday and the day before Marcus Einfeld is released from Silverwater jail.

Clearly, the planets have lined-up propitiously for the release of this news.

His timing could not have been better. It's a signal that he didn't want the dross that passes for a Labor government to appoint his successor.

The CJ's resignation takes effect on May 31, six days after his 13th anniversary in the saddle. He said in a tight one page statement:

"I leave with the same level of commitment and enthusiasm I brought to the job in 1998.

However, I believe that any organisation needs refreshing, and after 13 years, it also seems an appropriate time for me to personally and professionally refresh myself...

[I intend] to gather a small portfolio of different roles upon retirement from the court.

In my swearing-in speech, I announced that I was dedicating my life to the law to a degree that I have hitherto managed to avoid. Now, I look forward to dedicating my life to a more diverse range of tasks."

All well and good. A life of mediating, writing the history of the middle ages, a bit of teaching in England, travel and recumbency beckons.

Spiggs has been looking a big rumbled and cheesed-off in recent times, probably since he missed out on the top job at the High Court in 2008.

He had a hip replacement over the New Year break and five more years before compulsory retirement was just too long a confinement.

Who's next?

So many names are in the mix that the possibilities for distraction are amazing.

The usual suspects are: Jim Allsop, Peter McClellan and Bret Walker.

Incoming Attorney General Greg Smith is a devoted Right to Lifer and Thomas More enthusiast. A nice Catholic lawyer would not be overlooked for the task.

Justice Paddy Bergin  is a Catholic and a woman and so too is Margaret Beazley and both would be in contention, as would Arthur Moses who might be NSW's first Lebanese CJ. Arthur has done work for the Libs (as well as for former Labor AG, Jeff Shaw).

Another Arthur who is far from an outsider is Federal Court judge Arthur Emmett. Strong credentials and conservative.

His brother-in-law Sandy Street is firming trackside and he has the advantage of having three former generations of chief justice DNA in his blood.

Further bright suggestions and insights are welcome.

Read official announcement

Reader Comments

There are no comments for this journal entry. To create a new comment, use the form below.
Editor Permission Required
You must have editing permission for this entry in order to post comments.