[Australia]: High Court of Australia

[Owen]

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Meeting Place​

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High Court of Australia Building, Parkes, Australian Capital Territory​

Composition​

Name:	State:	Mandatory Retirement:	Previous Judicial Posting:	Education:
Murray Gleeson (Chief Justice)	New South Wales	30 August 2008	Chief Justice of New South Wales Court of Final Appeal of Hong Kong	University of Sydney
Ian Callinan	Queensland	1 September 2007	Queens' Counsel	University of Queensland
Michael Kirby	New South Wales	18 March 2009	Federal Court of Australia Supreme Court of New South Wales New South Wales Court of Appeal Court of Appeal of the Solomon Islands	University of Sydney
William Gummow	New South Wales	9 October 2012	Federal Court of Australia	University of Sydney
Mary Gaudron	New South Wales	5 January 2013	Solicitor-General of New South Wales	University of Sydney
Kenneth Hayne	Victoria	5 June 2015	Supreme Court of Victoria	University of Melbourne University of Oxford
Susan Kiefel	Queensland	5 November 2023	Federal Court of Australia Supreme Court of Queensland	University of Cambridge

Role​

Area:	Description:
Original Jurisdiction	Its original jurisdiction is determined by sections 75 and 76 of Australia's Constitution. Section 75 confers original jurisdiction in all matters: arising under any treaty affecting consuls or other representatives of other countries in which the Commonwealth, or a person suing or being sued on behalf of the Commonwealth, is a party between States, or between residents of different States, or between a State and a resident of another State in which a writ of mandamus or prohibition or an injunction is sought against an officer of the Commonwealth. Section 76 provides that Parliament may confer original jurisdiction in relation to matters: arising under the constitution or involving its interpretation arising under any laws made by the Parliament of admiralty and maritime jurisdiction relating to the same subject matter claimed under the laws of different states.
Appellate Jurisdiction	The court is empowered by section 73 of the Constitution to hear appeals from the supreme courts of the states and territories; as well as any court exercising federal jurisdiction. It may also hear appeals of decisions made in an exercise of its own original jurisdiction. The High Court's appellate jurisdiction is limited by the Judiciary Act, which requires special leave to be granted before the hearing of an appeal. Special leave may only be granted where a question of law is raised which is of public importance, involves a conflict between courts or "is in the interests of the administration of justice".
Appellate Jurisdiction for Nauru	On 6 September 1976, Australia and Nauru, which was newly-independent from Australia, signed an agreement for the High Court to become Nauru's apex court. It is empowered to hear appeals from the Supreme Court of Nauru in both criminal and civil cases, but not constitutional matters.

Judgments​

Short Title:	Full Case Name:	Decided:	Citation:	Transcript:	Prior Actions:	Judges Sitting:	Case Opinions:	Decision by:	Dissent:	Status: