James Muirhead (judge)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
April 24, 1925
James Muirhead | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Administrator of the Northern Territory | |
| In office 1 July 1989 – 1 March 1993 | |
| Preceded by | Eric Johnston |
| Succeeded by | Austin Asche |
| Personal details | |
| Born | James Henry Muirhead April 24, 1925 |
| Died | July 20, 1999 (aged 74) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Australia |
| Branch/service | Second Australian Imperial Force |
| Battles/wars | |
James Henry Muirhead AC KStJ QC (24 April 1925 – 20 July 1999) was an Administrator of the Northern Territory and a Judge of the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory.
Muirhead was born in Adelaide and was educated at St Peter's College and the University of Adelaide. After completing high school he enlisted in the Second Australian Imperial Forces for service in the Second World War.[1] From 1943–1946 he served as an infantryman and signaller with the 57/60 Battalion in Bougainville and later with the 37/52 Battalion in Rabaul, New Britain.
He obtained a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Adelaide and was admitted to the South Australian Bar in 1950. He practised as a barrister and solicitor in the firm of Thomson & Co until 1970 when he was appointed a Judge of the Local and District Criminal Court of South Australia. He was appointed a Queen's Counsel in 1967. Current Judge Dean Mildren was his Articled Clerk from 1966–1968.
He was appointed an Acting Judge of the Supreme Court of Papua New Guinea in 1972. He was appointed in 1973 as the inaugural Director of the Australian Institute of Criminology, a position he held until 1975.[2]
Northern Territory and beyond
He was appointed a Judge of the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory on 1 May 1974 and became the second resident Judge (with William Forster). Later that year Dick Ward would be appointed the third resident Judge. When the Federal Court of Australia was established in 1976 he was appointed a Judge of that Court and held both that commission and the Supreme Court commission concurrently.[3]
After Sir William Forster retired on 7 February 1985 he was appointed acting Chief Justice until his retirement on 11 September 1985 when Kevin O'Leary succeeded him.
He relocated to Perth, Western Australia and resigned his commission as Federal Court Judge in 1986 to take up the position of Royal Commissioner for the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, which ran from 1987 to 1991, with hearings finishing in 1989. On 1 July 1989 he was appointed Administrator of the Northern Territory, a position he held until 4 December 1992.[3]
As Administrator he opened the new Supreme Court Building in 1991. At that time he was patron of 74 organisations. He was Deputy Prior of the Order of St John, Chief Scout in the Northern Territory and chairman of the Forum for Indigenous Studies at the North Australia Research Unit. He was also the second honorary colonel of Norforce.[citation needed]
