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Two new magistrates have been appointed to serve in the north and north-west of Tasmania.
Katie Edwards was appointed to the vacant position in Burnie, replacing former magistrate Justice Tamara Jago following her appointment to the Supreme Court of Tasmania in 2021, and Evan Hughes was appointed to a brand-new position working across Devonport and Launceston.
Attorney-General of Tasmania Elise Archer stated: “Both Ms Edwards and Mr Hughes have extensive experience and knowledge across a broad spectrum of areas of law that will serve them well in their respective roles, with each having over 20 years’ experience in the legal profession within Tasmania.”
Between 2000 and 2018, Ms Edwards was employed as a legal practitioner with the Legal Aid Commission of Tasmania, known currently as Tasmania Legal Aid, and was the Crown counsel with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) since 2020.
Beginning his career in the Office of the Crown Solicitor, Mr Hughes also worked with the Legal Aid Commission of Tasmania as a criminal and family law litigator in 1999. He later moved to Rae and Partners in 2012, serving as principal of the firm since 2014, before serving as the president of the Law Society of Tasmania from 2018 to 2019.
With these two new appointments, the number of permanent magistrates has reached a record-setting count of 17 in Tasmania. This has equalled the number of magistrates between the north/north-west and south sides of the state, allowing cases to be dealt with faster while addressing any backlog of criminal matters.
“I personally congratulate Ms Edwards and Mr Hughes on their appointments, and look forward to their continued contribution to our justice system in the future,” Attorney-General Archer said.
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Adrian Suljanovic
