2021-04-28
Attorney-General Shane Rattenbury has thanked ACT Supreme Court Chief Justice Helen Murrell and Justice John Burns for their distinguished service after they announced their resignations from the bench last night.
“I received written resignations from both judges yesterday,” Attorney-General Rattenbury said. “On behalf of the ACT Government and the Canberra community, I offer my sincere thanks to Chief Justice Murrell and Justice Burns for their contribution to the law in the ACT.”
Helen Murrell is the first woman to be appointed Chief Justice in the ACT and has served as Chief Justice since 2013.
John Burns has been a judge of the ACT Supreme Court since 2011 and was a Magistrate for nineteen years before that.
“Justice Burns will complete his duties on 31 August 2021 while Chief Justice Murrell will retire on 6 March 2022,” Attorney-General Rattenbury said. “I look forward to thanking and wishing them well in person, closer to their respective retirement dates.”
A recruitment process to appoint new judges will begin shortly. The criteria that apply to the appointment of resident judges are set out in the Supreme Court (Resident Judges Appointment Requirements) Determination 2015 (No 1).