Family Law Act. Australia
Judge may then do either or both of the things referred to in paragraph (a) or (b) in respect of the complaint.
(2) The Deputy Chief Judge shall assist the Chief Judge in the exercise of the functions conferred on the Chief Judge by this section (other than paragraph (1A)(c) or (d)).
(3) A Judge Administrator shall, in relation to such part of Australia as is from time to time assigned by the Chief Judge, assist the Chief Judge and the Deputy Chief Judge in the exercise of such of the functions conferred on the Chief Judge by this section (other than paragraph (1A)(c) or (d)) as are from time to time so assigned.
(3A) The Chief Judge may authorise, in writing, a person or a body to do one or more of the following: (a) assist the Chief Judge to handle complaints or a specified complaint; (b) decide whether or not to handle complaints or a specified complaint; (c) dismiss complaints or a specified complaint; (d) handle complaints or a specified complaint.
(3B) To avoid doubt, the Chief Judge may authorise under subsection (3A): (a) the Deputy Chief Judge or a Judge Administrator; or (b) a body that includes the Deputy Chief Judge or a Judge Administrator.
(4) In exercising, or assisting in the exercise of, the functions or powers mentioned in paragraph (1A)(a), the Chief Judge and the Deputy Chief Judge have the same protection and immunity as if they were exercising, or assisting in the exercise of, those functions or powers as, or as members of, the Court.
Note: See also section 38Y.
(5) Despite section 39B of the Judiciary Act 1903, the Federal Court of Australia does not have jurisdiction with respect to a matter relating to the exercise by the Chief Judge of, or relating to the Deputy Chief Judge assisting in the exercise of, the functions or powers mentioned in subsection (1A), (1B) or (3A).
Division 3 — Judges
22 Appointment, removal and resignation of Judges Appointment of Judges (1) A Judge: (a) shall be appointed by the Governor‑General; and (b) shall not be removed except by the Governor‑General, on an address from both Houses of the Parliament in the same session praying for the Judge’s removal on the grounds of proved misbehaviour or incapacity.
(2) A person shall not be appointed as a Judge unless: (a) the person is or has been a Judge of another court created by the Parliament or of a court of a State or has been enrolled as a legal practitioner of the High Court or of the Supreme Court of a State or Territory for not less than 5 years; and (b) by reason of training, experience and personality, the person is a suitable person to deal with matters of family law.
Judges to be assigned to particular location (2AAA) The commission of appointment of a Judge must assign the Judge to a particular location. The Judge: (a) must not sit at another location on a permanent basis unless the Attorney‑General and the Chief Judge consent; and (b) cannot be required to sit at another location on a permanent basis unless the Judge consents (in addition to the consents required by paragraph (a)); and (c) may sit at another location on a temporary basis.
(2AAB) In deciding whether to consent as mentioned in paragraph (2AAA)(a), the Chief Judge has the same protection and immunity as if he or she were making that decision as, or as a member of, the Court.
(2AAC) Despite section 39B of the Judiciary Act 1903, the Federal Court of Australia does not have jurisdiction with respect to a matter relating to the exercise by the Attorney‑General or the Chief Judge of the power to consent as mentioned in paragraph (2AAA)(a).
Appeal Division (2AA) The members of the Appeal Division of the Court are the Chief Judge, the Deputy Chief Judge and such other Judges as are assigned to the Appeal Division under this section.
(2AB) The Governor‑General may, in the commission of appointment of a Judge or, with the consent of the Judge but not otherwise, at a later time assign a Judge to the Appeal Division.
(2AC) The Governor‑General shall not assign a Judge to the Appeal Division under subsection (2AB) if, as a result of that assignment, the number of members of the Appeal Division assigned under that subsection would exceed the prescribed number.
General Division (2AF) A Judge (other than the Chief Judge or the Deputy Chief Judge) who is not assigned to the Appeal Division shall be deemed to be assigned to the General Division.
Appointment of Deputy Chief Judge or Judge Administrator (2AFA) Where a person holding office as a Senior Judge or Judge of the Court is appointed Deputy Chief Judge or a Judge Administrator, the person retains that office as Senior Judge or Judge, as the case may be, and may resign the office of Deputy Chief Judge or Judge Administrator without resigning that first‑mentioned office.
Judge of 2 or more courts (2AG) Notwithstanding anything contained in any other Act, a person may hold office at the one time as a Judge of the Court and as a Judge of a prescribed court or of 2 or more prescribed courts.
(2AH) In subsection (2AG), prescribed court means: (a) a court (other than the Court) created by the Parliament; or (b) the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory.
(2A) A person may be appointed to the office of Judge of the Family Court of Australia notwithstanding that he or she holds an office of Judge of a Family Court of a State and may serve in that office of Judge of the Family Court of Australia notwithstanding that he or she continues to hold, and serve in, the office of Judge of the Family Court of that State.
(2B) If a person who holds office as a Judge of the Family Court of Australia is appointed or serves as a Judge of a Family Court of a State, the appointment or service shall not affect his or her tenure of that office of Judge of the Family Court of Australia or his or her rank, title, status, precedence, salary or annual allowance or other rights or privileges as the holder of that office of Judge of the Family Court of Australia and, for all purposes, his or her service as a Judge of the Family Court of that State shall be taken to be service as the holder of that office of Judge of the Family Court of Australia.
Resignation (3) A Judge may resign office by writing under his or her hand addressed to the Governor‑General.
(3A) The resignation takes effect on: (a) the day on which it is received by the Governor‑General; or (b) a later day specified in the resignation document.
Style (4) A Judge or former Judge is entitled to be styled “The Honourable”.
23 Seniority (1) The Chief Judge is senior to all other Judges of the Court.
(2) The Deputy Chief Judge is senior to all other Judges of the Court other than the Chief Judge.
(3) Judges appointed as Judge Administrators or assigned to the Appeal Division before, or not later than 3 months after, the commencement of section 13 of the Family Court of Australia (Additional Jurisdiction and Exercise of Powers) Act 1988 have seniority next to the Deputy Chief Judge, and have such seniority in relation to each other as they had immediately before that commencement.
(4) The remaining Judge Administrators and Judges assigned to the Appeal Division have seniority next to the Judges to whom subsection (3) applies according to the days on which their appointments as Judge Administrators and their assignments to the Appeal Division (whichever first occurred) took effect.
(5) Where, because 2 or more appointments as Judge Administrator and assignments to the Appeal Division took effect on the same day, subsection (4) does not determine priority between the Judges concerned, those Judges have such seniority in relation to each other as is assigned to them by the Governor‑General.
(6) The Senior Judges not assigned to the Appeal Division have seniority next to the Judges to whom subsection (4) applies according to the days on which their appointments as Senior Judges took effect.
(7) Where, because 2 or more commissions of appointment as Senior Judge took effect on the same day, subsection (6) does not determine seniority between the Senior Judges concerned, those Judges have such seniority in relation to each other as is assigned to them by the Governor‑General.
(8) The Judges who are not Judge Administrators or Senior Judges