FORMER president of the Bar Association, Robert Crowe, is one of five acting judges being re-appointed to the ACT Supreme Court today (May 13).

Mr Crowe was first appointed as an acting judge of the Supreme Court in 2019. He had a busy civil law practice prior to his retirement in 2017, and was also an active participant in the local Bar Association.

Attorney-General Shane Rattenbury said the acting judges will provide an additional resource to support the court, and help to manage periods of leave for other judges.

Other acting judges to be re-appointed include:

• Acting Justice Audrey Balla – a highly regarded civil lawyer who, as a judge, was responsible for overseeing the NSW District Court’s civil lists before her retirement in 2019. She was first appointed as an acting judge of the ACT Supreme Court in 2019.
• Acting Justice Peter Berman SC – a former NSW District Court judge who had a distinguished career in criminal law as a prosecutor and public defender. He was first appointed as an acting judge of the ACT Supreme Court in 2019.
• Acting Justice David Robinson SC – has appeared before several courts, including the High Court, the NSW Supreme Court, NSW Court of Appeal, and two Royal Commissions. He was first appointed as an acting judge of the ACT Supreme Court in 2014.
• Acting Justice Richard Refshauge SC  – has worked in private practice in commercial litigation, administrative, constitutional, industrial, and criminal law before being appointed ACT Director of Public Prosecutions – a position he held for a decade until 2008.  He was a permanent judge of the ACT Supreme Court from 2008 to 2017 and was first appointed as an acting judge in June 2020 to preside over the ACT Drug and Alcohol Court.

Acting judges have same powers and jurisdiction as the Court’s five resident judges and may be appointed for up to 12 months.