Supreme Court of New South Wales

From Freepedia

The Supreme Court of New South Wales is the highest court in the Australian State of New South Wales. It has unlimited jurisdiction within the state in civil matters, and hears the most serious criminal matters. The Supreme Court consists of a Trial Division and an Appeal Division. The court was established on 17 May 1824 by Royal Letters Patent. The first Chief Justice of the court was Francis Forbes. In 1840, the Colonial Legislature established a separate equity division in the court. Admiralty jurisdiction was added in 1911.

It hears very serious cases such as murder and treason, civil cases involving more than $750 000 and civil matters such as wills, injunctions, Admirality. It also contains the Supreme Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Criminal Appeal which hear appeals from District and Local Courts and appeals of decisions of single judges of the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court Building, Queens Square

During the 1980's the New South Wales State Government undertook the construction of a new home for the Supreme Court of New South Wales. The site chosen was in the heart of the traditional legal precinct of Sydney - Queen's Square.

The site of the building, at the corner of King and Macquarie Streets, was formerly occupied by the Crown Law Offices and Queen's Club building which then housed the New South Wales Department of the Attorney-General and of Justice. The State Government decided that the Supreme Court should be accommodated in a modern court house, under one roof instead of being spread, as it was, through a series of separate buildings, ill-fitted to the work and the dignity of the Court.

The concept involved the closure of the eastern tip of King Street between Phillip and Macquarie Streets to form a paved pedestrian concourse linking the Supreme Court site with the island block on which stands St James' Church and the old Supreme Court. The closure of King Street created a link that was more than symbolic. Together with the construction of a pedestrian tunnel under St James' Road it has meant a smoother flow for both vehicular and pedestrian traffic through what was once a highly congested area.

The Supreme Court with its courtrooms, judges' chambers, interview rooms, court registries and a law library is accommodated on fifteen levels of the building. The Banco Court on level thirteen with its cedar panelling, tiered public galleries and distinctive ceiling is a feature of the building. Fifteen of the thirty-four courts are built to an octagonal design specially developed by the architects for the new court house.

Architects McConnel, Smith and Johnson paid special attention to the need for high quality acoustic conditions in all court rooms and the fine acoustics, together with sound reinforcement and recording systems, will enable every word of proceedings to be heard and recorded.