Elizabeth Curtain Explained

Honorific-Prefix:The Honourable
Elizabeth Curtain
Office:Judge of the Supreme Court of Victoria
Term Start:3 October 2006
Term End:8 May 2014
Office2:Judge of the County Court of Victoria
Term Start2:1993
Term End2:2 October 2006
Occupation:Judge, Lawyer
Education:Loreto-Mandeville Hall
University of Melbourne
Nationality:Australian

Elizabeth Helen Curtain is a retired judge, serving successively on the benches of the County Court of Victoria and the Supreme Court of Victoria, in the Australian state of Victoria, and currently Chair of the Adult Parole Board of Victoria.

Education

Curtain was educated at Loreto-Mandeville Hall and the University of Melbourne, from which she graduated with a Bachelor of Laws.[1]

Career

Curtain was admitted to practise and later signed the Roll of Counsel as a barrister in 1978, practising mostly in criminal law. She was appointed to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal of Victoria (from its inception) in 1985 to July 1987 and was also a member of the Motor Accidents Board. She was appointed a Prosecutor for the Queen for the State of Victoria from 1987 until 1993, when she was appointed a judge of the County Court.[2]

During her tenure at the County Court, she was also Deputy Chairman of the Victorian Racing Appeals Tribunal, the Alternative Chairman of the Youth Parole Board and Alternative Chairman of the Youth Residential Board.[2]

On 3 October 2006 Curtain was appointed to the Trial Division of the Supreme Court of Victoria. As a judge of that court she presided almost exclusively in criminal trials. On 29 May 2013, it was announced that Justice Curtain would take over as Chair of the Adult Parole Board, replacing Justice Simon Whelan.[3] Curtain retired from the bench on 8 May 2014.

In 2017 Curtain was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for significant service to the law, and to the judiciary, in Victoria, to medico-legal and professional groups, and to the community.[4]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Welcomes: Justice Elizabeth Curtain . https://web.archive.org/web/20091002220029/http://www.vicbar.com.au/webdata/VicBarNewsFiles/Welcomes%20-%202.pdf . dead . 2009-10-02 . Victorian Bar.
  2. Web site: Elizabeth Curtain . Australian Women Lawyers . 8 December 2017 . 8 December 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171208003634/http://www.womenaustralia.info/lawyers/biogs/AWE5792b.htm . live .
  3. Web site: Victorian Government to review the Adult Parole Board following introduction of Elsa's Law reforms . News.com.au . 29 May 2013 . 8 December 2017 . 7 September 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170907180430/http://www.news.com.au/national/victoria/victorian-government-to-review-the-adult-parole-board-following-introduction-of-elsas-law-reforms/news-story/5ad8ab8c9e171aa859501d336d7de75c . live .
  4. Web site: Member (AM) in the General Division of the Order of Australia (A-L) . 2017 Australia Day Honours List . . 26 January 2017 . 26 January 2017 . 46 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190321173101/http://www.gg.gov.au/sites/default/files/files/honours/ad/ad2017/slkh83xzcb/AM%20Final%20Media%20Notes%20(A-L)2.pdf . 21 March 2019 . dead .