The Supreme Court of Queensland, which is based at the Law Courts Complex, is the superior court for the Australian State of Queensland. It has jurisdiction within the state in civil matters to an unlimited financial value, the most serious criminal matters, and some administrative law matters. It is around the middle of the Australian court hierarchy. The Law Courts Complex, Brisbane The Law Courts Complex, George Street, Brisbane, contains the Queensland Supreme Court (the highest Law Court in the state of Queensland) and the District Court. ... A court is an official, public forum which a sovereign establishes by lawful authority to adjudicate disputes, and to dispense civil, labour, administrative and criminal justice under the law. ... The Australian States and Territories make up the Commonwealth of Australia under a federal system of government. ... Emblems: Faunal - Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus); Floral - Cooktown orchid (Dendrobium bigibbum); Bird - Brolga (Grus rubicunda); Aquatic - Barrier Reef Anemonefish (Amphiprion akindynos); Gem - Sapphire; Colour - Maroon Motto: Audax at Fidelis (Bold but Faithful) Slogan or Nickname: Sunshine State, Smart State Other Australian states and territories Capital Brisbane Government Governor Premier Const. ... In law, jurisdiction from the Latin jus, juris meaning law and dicere meaning to speak, is the practical authority granted to a formally constituted body or to a person to deal with and make pronouncements on legal matters and, by implication, to administer justice within a defined area of responsibility. ... In the common law, civil law refers to the area of law governing relations between private individuals. ... Criminal law (also known as penal law) is the body of common law that punishes criminals for committing offences against the state. ... Administrative law is the body of law that arises from the activities of administrative agencies of government. ... There are two broad levels within the hierarchy of Australian courts, the federal level and the state and territory level. ...

In 1991 The Queensland Supreme Court was restructured into two divisions, the Trial Division and the Court of Appeal. The Court of Appeal comprises the President of the Court of Appeal and a number of Judges of Appeal. A single judge will hear proceedings within the Trial Division, and an appeal from this decision to the Court of Appeals will be normally be heard by three judges.

The Court is headed by the Chief Justice (currently Justice Paul de Jersey) who sits in both the trial and appeal divisions. The Court of Appeal is headed by the President (currently Justice Margaret McMurdo). There are 5 Judges of Appeal who sit only in the Court of Appeal. All trial division Judges also sit in the Court of Appeal although only for a short time (usually a 2 week block) each year.

Noted Justices

• The Hon. Sir Samuel Griffith (First Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia)
• The Hon. Sir Harry Gibbs (Who went on to become Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia)
• The Hon. Peter Connolly
• The Hon. Bruce McPherson CBE

Sir Samuel Griffith Sir Samuel Walker Griffith (June 21, 1845 - August 9, 1920), Australian politician and judge, was the principal author of the Constitution of Australia. ... High Court entrance The High Court of Australia is the final court of appeal in Australia, the highest court in the Australian court hierarchy. ... The Right Honourable Sir Harry Talbot Gibbs, GCMG, AC, KBE (February 7, 1917 - 25 June 2005) was Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia from 1981 to 1987 after serving as a member of the High Court between 1970 and 1981. ... High Court entrance The High Court of Australia is the final court of appeal in Australia, the highest court in the Australian court hierarchy. ...

Current Judges

As at May 2005 (appointment date in brackets):

Chief Justice

• Paul de Jersey (17 February 1998)

Court of Appeal

• President Margaret McMurdo (30 July 1998)
• Bruce McPherson CBE (12 December 1991)
• Glen Norman Williams (14 December 2000)
• John Alexander Jerrard (3 June 2002)
• Patrick Anthony Keane (21 February 2005)
• Catherine Holmes (26 May 2006)

The Honourable Justice Catherine Holmes is an Australian judge. ...

Trial Division

• Senior Judge Administrator Martin Moynihan AO (16 December 1991)
• Kenneth Mackenzie (10 April 1989)
• John Byrne (25 July 1989)
• Margaret White (2 April 1992)
• Keiran Cullinane (16 November 1992)
• George Fryberg (23 September 1994)
• John Helman (16 December 1994)
• John Muir (3 April 1997)
• Stanley Jones (2 October 1997)
• Richard Chesterman (12 March 1998)
• Margaret Wilson (20 August 1998)
• Roslyn Atkinson (3 September 1998)
• Peter Dutney (16 March 2000)
• Debra Mullins (16 March 2000)
• Anthe Philippides (14 December 2000)
• Philip McMurdo (3 March 2003)
• James Douglas (1 December 2003)

Martin Moynihan (February 5, 1928 - December 3, 1996) was an influential behavioral evolutionary biologist who studied under Ernst Mayr and Niko Tinbergen, and was a contemporary of Desmond Morris and various other famous ethologists. ...

References

• "About the Courts." Queensland Courts. URL accessed on 28 May 2005.
• "Queensland Judges Past & Present." URL accessed on 28 May 2006.

Turner, Clive 2004, Australian Commercial Law, 25th edn, Lawbook Co., Sydney. May 28 is the 148th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (149th in leap years). ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... May 28 is the 148th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (149th in leap years). ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...