NSW magistrates will be known as judges from tomorrow, following an amendment to the Local Court Act 2007 last year.
The Government says the change is an effort to better reflect the nature and volume of crucial work done in the Local Court.
“This is more than just a name change. It’s a proper acknowledgement of the important work done in Australia’s busiest court jurisdiction which hears a growing number of and increasingly complex cases each year,” said NSW Attorney General Michael Daley.
Over the past decade, the number of matters commenced in the Local Court have risen by a third with nearly half a million begun in 2024.
The Attorney General said the title of magistrate is a historical one, stemming from a time when judicial officers were appointed from the public service and sat in the Court of Petty Sessions.
Local Court judicial officers have been required to hold legal qualifications for more than 70 years.
NSW joins the Northern Territory’s Local Court and Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia where the title of magistrate has been changed to judge.
“The role of magistrates has changed significantly in recent decades, but their title hasn’t kept pace with the volume and complex of matters they hear. They perform a judicial role, and their title should reflect that,” said Mr Daley.
“Judicial officers in the Local Court do the same things as their counterparts in other courts in NSW. Not only is there no reason not to make this change; it is absolutely deserved.”
The title change does not affect existing powers, functions or protections of Local Court judicial officers.
