High Court Registry closure

The High Court Registry will be closed from 4:00pm AEDT on Wednesday, 24 December 2025 and will re-open at 9:00am on Friday, 2 January 2026.

Any party seeking to file a document due to be filed between 25 December 2025 and 1 January 2026 has an automatic extension of time under the High Court Rules 2004 (Rule 4.01.5) until 4:00pm on Friday, 2 January 2026 to file the document. Any documents lodged between 25 December 2025 and 1 January 2026 will be reviewed on 2 January 2026.

All inquiries for the High Court will be considered when the Registry re-opens on Friday, 2 January 2026. If a matter is of extreme urgency, you may telephone 1800 570 566, select Option 1 and leave a voicemail. In addition, provide details by email to: registry@hcourt.gov.au.

Sir Garfield Edward John Barwick PC AK GCMG Kt KC

Sir Garfield Edward John Barwick PC AK GCMG Kt KC

Background

(born 1903; died 1997). Chief Justice 1964-81.
Admitted NSW Bar 1927 (KC 1941). President NSW Bar Association 1950-52 and 1955-56. President Law Council of Australia 1952-54. MHR 1958-64, including Attorney-General 1958-61, Minister for External Affairs 1961-64. Judge International Court of Justice 1973-74. PC (1964).

Click here for further information
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

Artworks of the High Court | Portraits of Chief Justices