- Samantha Padfield appointed as a Magistrate of the Magistrates Court of Western Australia
- The senior family law specialist had served in the role of Registrar of the Family Court of WA
Experienced family law practitioner Samantha Padfield has been appointed as a Magistrate of the Magistrates Court of Western Australia.
Ms Padfield's appointment fills a vacancy arising from the resignation of one Magistrate and the switching to part-time status of another Magistrate.
She will preside in the Family Court of WA and commences in her new role on 30 November 2026.
Admitted to practice in 2004, Ms Padfield worked for a number of legal firms specialising in family law.
During her career in private practice, she undertook all aspects of managing Family Court and Children's Court matters including mentions, hearings, conferences, dispute resolutions and trials.
She is also an accredited mediator and qualified independent children's lawyer.
In April 2020, Ms Padfield was appointed as a Registrar of the Family Court.
She carried out the full array of registrar duties including conciliation and pre-trial conferences, divorce and readiness hearings, and financial matters, and was Acting Principal Registrar for a period last year.
Ahead of her official commencement date, Ms Padfield is serving as an Acting Magistrate sitting in the Family Court until 27 November 2026.
As stated by Attorney General Dr Tony Buti:
"I welcome the appointment of Samantha Padfield as a Magistrate presiding in the WA Family Court.
"She is well respected in the family legal arena having built extensive experience as a family lawyer in private practice for 16 years. In 2019, she was listed in the Doyle's Guide as a recommended parenting, custody and children's matters lawyer for WA.
"Ms Padfield then served with distinction as a Family Court Registrar, which enabled her to become well versed in the running of the court and culminated in her recent elevation to Acting Magistrate."
