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3 new magistrates named for NSW Local Court
NSW Attorney-General Michael Daley has appointed three new magistrates for the Local Court in the nation’s most populous state.
Jerome Doraisamy
Gina Towney, Timothy Khoo and Cathy Tawagi have been elevated to the bench of the NSW Local Court, bringing “a wealth of knowledge” to that bench, having worked in a variety of jurisdictions and specialist areas, the A-G’s Department said in a statement.
Mr Khoo played senior roles with the Children’s Legal Service at Legal Aid NSW and the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, and he is “an expert in children’s law”. He has, the statement noted, “extensive experience” in hearing and determining legal matters.
Ms Tawahi has held several senior leadership roles in Legal Aid NSW while conducting a high-volume criminal law practice and has worked in the coronial jurisdiction. She is “an experienced criminal lawyer with more than 30 years of involvement in criminal advocacy and advice, legal management, and mentoring”.
The three magistrates are set to be sworn in on 8 August 2023, 9 August 2023, and 10 August 2023, respectively.
Speaking about the appointees, A-G Daley said: “Ms Towney, Mr Khoo and Ms Tawagi are highly regarded leaders in their field and bring decades of wisdom to the NSW Local Court.
“I congratulate these new magistrates on their appointments which are welcome additions to the bench.”
The NSW Local Court is perhaps the busiest court in Australia, managing a wide range of matters across several jurisdictions. It sits in 123 locations and deals with more than 90 per cent of all criminal cases and civil claims across NSW.
The appointments support the NSW government’s $56.1 million investment in the engine room of the state’s court system, the A-G’s Department noted, driving the delivery of more efficient justice.
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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