Login
Future of Tasmanian judge uncertain following assault charges
The Tasmanian government will decide the future of a Supreme Court judge who is currently facing assault charges.
Naomi Neilson
Justice Gregory Geason, 62, faced the Hobart Magistrates Court late last week and pleaded not guilty to one count of emotional abuse or intimidation and one count of common assault.
The potential commission of inquiry would determine whether Justice Geason “should, or should not, be suspended or removed”.
Both houses of Parliament must give their approval to the governor before a judge can be removed, according to the Supreme Court Act.
In addition to determining Justice Geason’s fate, Parliament will also consider if it should establish a Judicial Review Commission.
Mr Barnett told media it will then outline options for “handling complaints and concerns about the conduct of judicial officers”.
“This will ensure that our state has an appropriate and best-practice model to deal with situations such as this, and I look forward to progressing this work as a matter of priority,” Mr Barnett said.
Media who attended the Hobart Magistrates Court on Friday (1 December) reported Justice Geason’s case was held out of hours and they were barred from entering due to a lack of court security.
In a statement issued to waiting journalists afterwards, a Magistrates Court spokesperson said the decision to keep media out of the room was made in “unusual and unprecedented circumstances”.
“The Magistrates Court remains committed to providing open access to court proceedings, including access to after-hours courts,” they said.
Naomi Neilson
Naomi Neilson is a senior journalist with a focus on court reporting for Lawyers Weekly.
You can email Naomi at:
