Fusion of the federal courts … Family Court upheaval … Pascoe dumps Thackray … Alstergren gets another top gig … Lawyers dismayed 

Chief Justice John Pascoe has removed WA-based family judge Stephen Trackray as the manager of the court’s appeals division and replaced him with Willy Alstergren. 

He will now be allocating appeals from the court where he serves as chief judge to the court where he serves as deputy chief justice. 

Many lawyers are sufficiently concerned about the appearance of this arrangement that they have urged the Law Council to run a protest flag up the flag-pole. 

Pascoe retires in November having preferred to concentrate on administration rather than do any judging. The bookies have Willy on an inside track to replace him – all part of the agenda to fuse the federal courts. 

The appointment of Pascoe as CJ and Alstergren as chief judge are legacies of Gorgeous George Brandis’ time as AG. 

As a farewell present on the eve of his departure as attorney general Brandis also handed Alstergren the job as deputy CJ at the Family Court. 

One would think that even without his latest gig Willy Alstergren has enough on his plate. The Circuit Court is fraught with delays and other chaotic impediments. He has his L-plates on when it come to family law and now there are concerns about the appearance of a judge wearing too many hats.