John Burns (judge)

The Honourable Justice
John Burns
Additional Judge of the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory
Incumbent
Assumed office
18 May 2020 (2020-05-18)
Justice of the Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory
In office
1 August 2011 (2011-08-01) – 31 August 2021 (2021-08-31)
Chief Magistrate of the Australian Capital Territory
In office
15 December 2009 (2009-12-15) – 12 October 2011 (2011-10-12)
Preceded byRon Cahill
Succeeded byLorraine Walker
Magistrate of the Australian Capital Territory
In office
26 April 1990 (1990-04-26) – 14 December 2009 (2009-12-14)
Personal details
Born
John Dominic Burns
OccupationLawyer
Jurist

John Dominic Burns is an Additional Judge of the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory, a former Judge of the Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory and a former Chief Magistrate of the Australian Capital Territory.

Career

Burns was admitted to practice in 1981.[1] He first worked at Legal Aid NSW.[1] In 1983, Burns moved to Canberra and worked for the Deputy Crown Solicitors Office as a prosecutor.[1]

The following year he joined the Australian Government Solicitor.[1]

Burns then joined the firm Gallens Barristers and Solicitors in 1985 and shortly became a partner.[1]

He was called to the bar in 1989 and joined Blackburn Chambers.[1]

In 1990, Burns was appointed a Magistrate of the Australian Capital Territory and a Magistrate of the Norfolk Island Territory.[1][2]

After the retirement of Ron Cahill, Burns was appointed Chief Magistrate of the Australian Capital Territory on 15 December 2009.[1][3]

In July 2011, it was announced that Burns would be appointed to the Supreme Court.[4][5] He was appointed a Judge of the Supreme Court on 1 August 2011.[1][2]

Burns served on the ACT Law Reform Advisory Committee.[1]

In May 2020 he was appointed an Additional Judge of the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory,[6] before retiring from the ACT Supreme Court in August 2021.[7]

Notable Cases

Burns, while on the ACT Supreme Court, was the Sentencing Judge in the secret trial of Witness J, a former officer of the Australian Secret Intelligence Service (ASIS) who was convicted of using insecure channels to communicate classified information.

As an Additional Judge of the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory, Burns presided over the trial of police officer Zachary Rolfe, who was charged with the murder of Kumanjayi Walker after shooting and killing Walker while attempting to arrest him.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "John Dominic Burns" (PDF). ACT Supreme Court. Retrieved 24 March 2019.
  2. ^ a b "ACT welcomes new judge". The Canberra Times. 31 July 2011. Retrieved 24 March 2019.
  3. ^ "Magistrate Burns appointed new Chief Magistrate for the ACT". info.cmtedd.act.gov.au. 15 December 2009. Retrieved 24 March 2019.
  4. ^ "Chief Magistrate Burns named new judge". ABC News. 7 July 2011. Retrieved 24 March 2019.
  5. ^ "Supreme role for Burns". Canberra CityNews. 7 July 2011. Retrieved 24 March 2019.
  6. ^ "New NT Supreme Court Justice appointed ahead of Bravos trial after nationwide search". NT News. 14 May 2020. Retrieved 6 November 2023.
  7. ^ "Chief Justice Murrell and Justice Burns to retire" (PDF). ACT Supreme Court. 27 April 2021. Retrieved 6 November 2023.


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