A new appeal division of Western Australia’s Supreme Court, designed to streamline the appeal process, will become active on February 1 2005.
A new appeal division of Western Australia’s Supreme Court, designed to streamline the appeal process, will become active on February 1 2005.
The Court of Appeal, a division of the Supreme Court, has been several years in the making after an initial feasibility study in 1998. The court will handle all appeals previously dealt with in the Supreme Court.
Attorney-General Jim McGinty last week announced the establishment of the court and its judges.
Judges of the Court of Appeal are all current members of the Supreme Court bench, with David Malcolm remaining chief justice, and Justice Steytler appointed as president.
Other appointees include justices Neville Owen, Christine Wheeler, Leonard Roberts-Smith, Carmel McLure, and Christoper Pullin.
Mr McGinty said he was confident the new court would achieve the success of similar models that had been established in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland.
“The Court of Appeal will offer greater consistency in judgements, quicker judgements and shorter hearings and will improve the current appeals system where judges of the Supreme Court sit on appeal on a rotational basis,” he said.
“The judges who have been appointed to the new court are highly regarded in the legal profession and I am confident their extensive experience will have a significant benefit on the judicial system in WA.”
The court will hear civil and criminal appeals and will utilise the current Supreme Court building.
Chief Justice David Malcolm has been instrumental in driving the Court of Appeal.
He said he welcomed the announcement by the attorney-general of the appointments to the Court of Appeal.
“The establishment of the division has been the subject of consideration for the last decade,” Mr Malcolm said.
“A major issue when the matter was first raised was whether the size of the Supreme Court was sufficient to create a separate appeal division.
“The court now comprises 18 judges and two masters, who are also members of the court.
“As is the case in other States, where such a court has been established, the chief justice remains the head of the jurisdiction and would preside over the Court of Appeal when sitting.”
Mr Malcolm added his congratulations to Justice Steytler on his appointment and said he looked forward to working with him to ensure the successful implementation of the legislation, which is expected to come into force on February 1 2005, and will be marked by a special sitting of the Supreme Court.