High Court of Australia Justices 2024

Former Justices

Apart from the current members of the Court, there have been 11 Chief Justices and 36 Justices since the Court was established in 1903. A biographical synopsis of each is given below.

(born 1907; died 1974). A Justice 1958-74.
Joined Victorian Bar 1930 (KC 1949). President Law Council of Australia 1956-58. President Victorian Bar Council 1958. PC (1963).

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(born 1900; died 1987). A Justice 1958-72.
Admitted NSW Bar 1925 (KC 1949). In World War II as Lt Colonel commanded Sydney University Regiment and 2/48 Battalion AIF and, as Brigadier, 20th Australian Infantry Brigade AIF. Awarded DSO and bar, and three times mentioned in dispatches. Promoted Major-General and commanded 2nd Division CMF (1950-52). PC (1963).

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Reproduced by permission of Oxford University Press Australia, from The Oxford Companion to the High Court of Australia, by Tony Blackshield, Michael Coper and George Williams (eds), 2001, © Oxford University Press, www.oup.com.au

(born 1899; died 1972). A Justice 1961-72.
Admitted NSW Bar 1923 (KC 1935). Wounded in action serving with AIF, World War I. Judge Supreme Court of NSW 1936-61. PC (1963).

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(born 1909; died 1973). A Justice 1969-73.
Admitted NSW Bar 1934. Judge Supreme Court of NSW 1954-69, Judge of Appeal 1966-69. PC (1971).

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(born 1917; died 2005). A Justice 1970-81. Chief Justice 1981-87.
Admitted Queensland Bar 1939 (QC 1957). Served in World War II as Major in Australian Army. Judge of Queensland Supreme Court 1961-67. Judge of Federal Court of Bankruptcy and ACT Supreme Court 1967-70. PC (1972).

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Artworks of the High Court | Portraits of Chief Justices

(born 1925). A Justice 1972-87. Chief Justice 1987-95.
Admitted NSW Bar 1951 (QC 1964). Served in RAAF, World War II. Commonwealth Solicitor-General 1964-69. Judge NSW Court of Appeal 1969-72.

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Reproduced by permission of Oxford University Press Australia, from The Oxford Companion to the High Court of Australia, by Tony Blackshield, Michael Coper and George Williams, 2001, © Oxford University Press, www.oup.com.au

Artworks of the High Court | Portraits of Chief Justices

(born 5 October 1917, died 24 May 2015). A Justice 1974-79.
Admitted NSW Bar 1947 (QC 1958). Served with AIF, World War II. Judge Supreme Court of NSW 1960-74, Judge of Appeal 1966-74, President Court of Appeal 1972-74.

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(born 1923; died 2017). A Justice 1972-82.
Joined Victorian Bar 1952 (QC 1966). Served with AIF, World War II. Judge Supreme Court of Victoria 1970-72. Governor-General of Australia 1982-89. Australian Ambassador for the Environment 1989-92. Chairman, Second Strand Nthn Ireland Peace Talks 1992. Judge International Tribunals for former Yugoslavia and Rwanda since 1993. PC (1979).

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(born 1922; died 1986). A Justice 1975-86.
Admitted NSW Bar 1947 (QC 1960). Senator 1962-74, including Government Leader, Attorney-General and Minister for Customs and Excise 1972-75.

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Reproduced by permission of Oxford University Press Australia, from The Oxford Companion to the High Court of Australia, by Tony Blackshield, Michael Coper and George Williams, 2001, © Oxford University Press, www.oup.com.au

(born 1916; died 1982). A Justice 1976-82.
Joined Victorian Bar 1949 (QC 1957). Member, Legal Department of United Nations 1942-48.

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(born 1922; died 2005). A Justice 1979-89.
Admitted WA Bar 1951 (QC 1963). Served in RAAF, World War II. Chief Crown Prosecutor 1959-61, Crown Counsel 1961-69, Solicitor-General (WA) 1969-79. Moderator, WA Synod, Uniting Church 1977-79. President, Uniting Church of Australia 1988-91. President, Human Rights & Equal Opportunity Commission 1990-97.

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Reproduced by permission of Oxford University Press Australia, from The Oxford Companion to the High Court of Australia, by Tony Blackshield, Michael Coper and George Williams (eds), 2001, © Oxford University Press, www.oup.com.au

(born 1931). A Justice 1982-95.
Admitted NSW Bar 1957 (QC 1966). Judge Supreme Court of NSW 1977. Judge, Federal Court of Australia 1977-82. President, Australian Trade Practices Tribunal 1977-82. Governor-General of Australia 1996-2001.

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Reproduced by permission of Oxford University Press Australia, from The Oxford Companion to the High Court of Australia, by Tony Blackshield, Michael Coper and George Williams, 2001, © Oxford University Press, www.oup.com.au

(born 1933). A Justice 1982-97.
Joined Victorian Bar 1957, Tasmanian Bar 1972 (QC 1971). Solicitor-General (Vic) 1974-82. Lieut. Cmdr. RANVR. Member Australian Motor Sport Appeal Court 1974-86, Chairman 1987.

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Reproduced by permission of Oxford University Press Australia, from The Oxford Companion to the High Court of Australia, by Tony Blackshield, Michael Coper and George Williams, 2001, © Oxford University Press, www.oup.com.au

(born 4 March 1930, died 9 April 2015). A Justice 1987-98.
Admitted WA Bar 1952 (QC 1968). Judge, Federal Court of Australia & Supreme Court of NT 1977-87. NT Aboriginal Land Commissioner 1977-82. Member, Constitutional Commission 1985-86 & Presidential Member, AAT.

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Reproduced by permission of Oxford University Press Australia, from The Oxford Companion to the High Court of Australia, by Tony Blackshield, Michael Coper and George Williams, 2001, © Oxford University Press, www.oup.com.au

(born 1928; died 2022). A Justice 1981-95. Chief Justice 1995-98.
Admitted Queensland Bar 1951 (QC 1965). Member, Australian Law Reform Commission 1975-77. First President Administrative Appeals Tribunal 1976-79. Judge, Australian Industrial Court and Additional Judge, ACT Supreme Court, 1976-81. Judge, Federal Court of Australia, 1977-81.

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Reproduced by permission of Oxford University Press Australia, from The Oxford Companion to the High Court of Australia, by Tony Blackshield, Michael Coper and George Williams, 2001, © Oxford University Press, www.oup.com.au

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