South Australia's new dedicated Court of Appeal is set to begin operations at the start of next year, Attorney-General, Vickie Chapman announced today.
The move follows last month's announcement that eminent barrister Mark Livesey QC has been appointed to the new Court.
"Establishing a new Court of Appeal will help deliver efficiencies in the Supreme Court, by allowing appeals to be heard by a dedicated group of judges in a standalone court," Ms Chapman said.
"By commencing the new court at the start of next year, there will be time to establish the necessary practices and procedures to support the court, and finalise accommodation details."
Attorney-General Chapman said she had been in ongoing discussions with the Chief Justice on the possible makeup of the new Court and other operational issues ahead of the 1 January start date.
"I have been continuing talks with the Chief Justice about how the new Court of Appeal will operate, with due consideration of likely workload levels and other operational concerns," Ms Chapman said.
"Additional funding has been allocated for an extra Judge, to ensure that there are sufficient resources in place to allow for the operation of both divisions.
"With this in mind, it has been determined that the new Court of Appeal will consist of five judges, while seven judges will remain within the General Division of the Supreme Court.
"The Chief Justice will be able to preside over matters in either jurisdiction, as needed."
Ms Chapman said she was continuing to consult with the Chief Justice, with further appointments to be made in the coming months.
"This is a significant reform and I look forward to announcing the appointment of the remaining judges who will oversee the new Court's functions."
