District Court of Queensland

The District Court of Queensland (QDC) is the second tier in the court hierarchy of Queensland, Australia. The Court deals with serious criminal offences such as rape, armed robbery and fraud. Juries are used to decide if defendants are guilty or not guilty.

The original court was established in 1866 to ease the workload of the Supreme Court of Queensland. However, in 1921 the Queensland Parliament decided District Courts were no longer necessary and the courts were abolished. They were re-established by Parliament in 1958, again to relieve the workload in the Supreme Court. The present court is constituted under the District Court of Queensland Act 1967 (Qld). That Act amalgamated the previous District Court in existence prior to 1967 into the new District Court.

The District Court sits in 32 locations across Queensland. Judges also travel throughout the state to hear matters in regional and remote areas.

Decisions made by the District Court may be heard on appeal to the Supreme Court; and the District Court may sit as an appellate court for decisions made in the Magistrates Court of Queensland. The unreported judgments of the District Courts is published on the Queensland Judgments website.

Jurisdiction

Civil

The District Court has jurisdiction to hear civil matters for which the amount in dispute is less than or equal to $750,000, and more than $150,000. Civil disputes in which the amount in dispute is more than $750,000 are heard by the Supreme Court, while those in which the amount is $150,000 or less are heard by either the Magistrates Court or the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal. District Court civil decisions are published on the Queensland Judgments website.

Criminal

The District Court has the jurisdiction to hear criminal matters in which the defendant has been charged with a serious indictable offence (such as armed robbery, rape, and dangerous driving). These trials require a jury. District Court criminal decisions are published on the Queensland Judgments website.

Composition

Chief Judge of the District Court

Name	Date appointed	Term in office	Notes
Chief Judge Brian G Devereaux SC		Template:Age in years and days

Judges of the District Court

The District Court operates permanent courts in Brisbane, located in the Queen Elizabeth II Courts of Law building on George Street, Brisbane CBD; and Cairns, Ipswich, Maroochydore, Rockhampton, Southport, Townsville, and sits in regional areas as required. In Brisbane, the District Court shares the location with the Supreme Court.

since April 2021Template:Dated maintenance category (articles), the judges who sat at the District Court, together with their location, were:

Name	Location	Date appointed	Term in office	Comments
Judge John Allen Template:Post-nominals	Brisbane		Template:Ayd	Deputy President, Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal
Judge Ken Barlow Template:Post-nominals	Brisbane		Template:Ayd
Judge Michael J. F. Burnett	Rockhampton		Template:Ayd
Judge Michael Byrne Template:Post-nominals	Brisbane		Template:Ayd
Judge Glen Cash Template:Post-nominals	Maroochydore		Template:Ayd
Judge Craig Chowdhury	Beenleigh		Template:Ayd
Judge Leanne Clare Template:Post-nominals	Brisbane		Template:Ayd
Judge Jeffrey Clarke	Rockhampton		Template:Ayd
Judge John Coker	Townsville		Template:Ayd
Judge Geraldine Dann	Southport		Template:Ayd
Judge Ian Dearden	Brisbane		Template:Ayd
Justice Julie M. Dick Template:Post-nominals	Brisbane		Template:Ayd
Judge William G. Everson	Brisbane		Template:Ayd
Judge Tracy Fantin Template:Post-nominals	Brisbane		Template:Ayd
Judge Brad Farr Template:Post-nominals	Brisbane		Template:Ayd
Judge Terry Gardiner	Brisbane		Template:Ayd	Also Chief Magistrate
Judge Alexander Horneman-Wren Template:Post-nominals	Ipswich		Template:Ayd
Judge Rowan Jackson Template:Post-nominals	Southport		Template:Ayd
Judge Nathan Jarro	Brisbane		Template:Ayd
Judge Richard Jones	Brisbane		Template:Ayd
Judge Nicole Kefford	Brisbane		Template:Ayd
Judge David Kent Template:Post-nominals	Southport		Template:Ayd
Judge Gary Long Template:Post-nominals	Maroochydore		Template:Ayd
Judge Vicki Loury Template:Post-nominals	Brisbane		Template:Ayd
Judge Dennis Lynch Template:Post-nominals	Ipswich		Template:Ayd
Judge Gregory Lynham	Townsville		Template:Ayd
Judge Dean P. Morzone Template:Post-nominals	Cairns		Template:Ayd
Judge Tony Moynihan Template:Post-nominals	Brisbane		Template:Ayd
Judge Catherine Muir	Southport		Template:Ayd
Judge Katherine M. McGinness	Southport		Template:Ayd
Judge Bernard Porter Template:Post-nominals	Brisbane		Template:Ayd
Judge Michael E. Rackemann Template:Post-nominals	Brisbane		Template:Ayd
Judge Anthony J. Rafter Template:Post-nominals	Brisbane		Template:Ayd
Judge David Reid	Brisbane		Template:Ayd
Judge Deborah Richards	Brisbane		Template:Ayd
Judge Orazio Rinaudo	Brisbane		Template:Ayd
Judge Jennifer Rosengren	Brisbane		Template:Ayd
Judge Suzanne C. Sheridan	Brisbane		Template:Ayd
Judge Paul E. Smith	Brisbane		Template:Ayd	Also Judge Administrator
Judge Michael Williamson Template:Post-nominals	Brisbane		Template:Ayd

See also

• Judiciary of Australia
• List of Queensland courts and tribunals