Anne Ferguson is an Australian judge and former lawyer who has served as Chief Justice of Victoria since 2 October 2017. She was first appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court of Victoria in 2010.
Anne Ferguson | |
|---|---|
| 12th Chief Justice of Victoria | |
| Assumed office 2 October 2017 | |
| Nominated by | Martin Pakula |
| Appointed by | Linda Dessau |
| Preceded by | Marilyn Warren |
| Judge of the Victorian Court of Appeal | |
| Assumed office 12 August 2014 | |
| Judge of the Supreme Court of Victoria | |
| Assumed office 3 May 2010 | |
| Personal details | |
| Nationality |  Australia |
| Spouse | Kim Hargrave |
| Education | Monash University University of Southampton |
Early life
editFerguson was educated at the Brigidine Sisters’ Killester College in Springvale where she was academic dux. She studied Arts and Law at Monash University, winning the Supreme Court Prize as the top student in her graduating class.[1] Ferguson was also appointed Editor of the Monash University Law Review.[2]
In 1989, she graduated with a Doctor of Philosophy in Law from the University of Southampton. Her thesis was on unfair contracts.[3]
Legal career
editPrior to her judicial appointments she worked as a litigator at J.M. Smith & Emmerton and Allens Arthur Robinson. She also previously served as Honorary Secretary to the Council of Legal Education, one of only 5 people to ever hold the position in the organization's 100-year history.[4] [5]
Judicial office
editFerguson was first appointed a judge of the Trial Division of the Supreme Court of Victoria in 2010. In 2014, she was made a Judge of the Court of Appeal.[6]
In August 2017, Ferguson was named as the next chief justice of Victoria, succeeding Marilyn Warren.[7] Ferguson took office in October 2017. In her role as chief justice, Ferguson is chair of the Judicial Commission of Victoria.
In 2019, Ferguson heard the high profile County Court appeal of Cardinal George Pell against his conviction for the commission of sexual offences. Ferguson concurred with the Court of Appeal 2–1 majority rejecting the appeal, which was subsequently overruled by the High Court.[8][9]
On 5 September 2024, it was announced that Ferguson would retire as Chief Justice of Victoria and as a judge of the Supreme Court of Victoria with effect from 2 February 2025.[10]
Personal life
editFerguson is married to fellow Supreme Court judge, Justice Kim Hargrave.[11]
References
edit- ^ "Victorian Bar congratulates the Honourable Justice Anne Ferguson on her appointment as Chief Justice | Victorian Bar".
- ^ "Alumni - Faculty of Law". www.monash.edu. Archived from the original on 4 May 2017.
- ^ "Southampton_Postgraduate_appointed_Supreme_Court_Judge_in_Victoria | Southampton Law School | University of Southampton".
- ^ "Welcome the Honourable Justice Anne Ferguson". Archived from the original on 19 August 2014. Retrieved 4 October 2013.
- ^ "Appointments to Victoria's Court of Appeal and Supreme Court". Archived from the original on 9 August 2014. Retrieved 16 August 2014.
- ^ "Judges".
- ^ Boseley, Matilda (8 August 2017). "Next chief justice named with Anne Ferguson to succeed Marilyn Warren in top job". The Age. Retrieved 27 September 2017.
- ^ "George Pell Victorian Court of Appeal judgment summary transcript". ABC News. 21 August 2019. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
- ^ "Judgement Summary: Pell v The Queen [2020] HCA 12" (PDF). High Court of Australia. 7 April 2020. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
- ^ "Announcement of the retirement of the Chief Justice of Victoria". The Supreme Court of Victoria. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
- ^ Dessau, Linda. "Swearing in of Chief Justice Anne Ferguson". Governor of Victoria. Retrieved 21 November 2017.