Magistrate, silk both appointed as judges of NSW District Court
Magistrate Ross Hudson and Sydney barrister Rashelle Seiden SC have both been appointed as judges of the District Court of NSW.
The news follows the appointment of Supreme Court Justice Sarah Huggett as the Chief Judge of the state's District Court, as reported last week.
He has served as a Local Court magistrate since 2015 and has been a member of the Local Court education committee for the past six years.
Magistrate Hudson has also served as president of the NSW Magistrates’ Association. He was a solicitor in 2002, and he worked at the criminal law specialist firm William O’Brien Solicitors, becoming an accredited specialist in criminal law in 2007 and a partner in 2009.
Sydney-based barrister Rashelle Seiden SC has also been appointed as a judge of the District Court and has further been named as a deputy president and head of the administrative and equal opportunity division and the occupational division of the Civil and Administrative Tribunal of NSW (NCAT).
She brings, the A-G’s Department detailed, nearly three decades of legal expertise to the bench, with her experience ranging from constitutional and administrative law, trusts, corporate and commercial law, insolvency, and revenue, including tax crime.
Seiden was first called to the Queensland Bar in 1996 before being admitted to the NSW Bar in 2000, where she was appointed senior counsel in 2013.
Speaking about the two appointments, NSW Attorney-General Michael Daley said: “I warmly congratulate Magistrate Hudson on his elevation to the District Court of NSW. Magistrate Hudson has been a great asset to the Local Court of NSW for the past nine years where he is well regarded for his extensive knowledge of criminal law, court procedures and processes. His expertise will be a significant addition to the operation of the District Court of NSW.”
A-G Daley further noted: “I warmly congratulate Ms Seiden on her appointments to the District Court of NSW and the Civil and Administrative Tribunal of NSW (NCAT). Ms Seiden is highly regarded in legal circles for her incisive approach to thorny legal matters and ability to bring clarity to complex cases. Her skills and expertise will be welcomed by the District Court of NSW and NCAT.”
Jerome Doraisamy
Jerome Doraisamy is the editor of Lawyers Weekly. A former lawyer, he has worked at Momentum Media as a journalist on Lawyers Weekly since February 2018, and has served as editor since March 2022. He is also the host of all five shows under The Lawyers Weekly Podcast Network, and has overseen the brand's audio medium growth from 4,000 downloads per month to over 60,000 downloads per month, making The Lawyers Weekly Show the most popular industry-specific podcast in Australia. Jerome is also the author of The Wellness Doctrines book series, an admitted solicitor in NSW, and a board director of Minds Count.
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