| Court Name: | District Court of Queensland |
| Established: | 18661921; 1958 |
| Location: | Queen Elizabeth II Courts of Law in Brisbane; ; Cairns; ; Maroochydore; Rockhampton;, Townsville |
| Type: | Vice-regal appointment upon nomination by the Premier following the advice of the Attorney-General and Cabinet |
| Authority: | Queensland Parliament via the: |
| Appealsto: | Supreme Court of Queensland |
| Appealsfrom: | Magistrates Court of Queensland |
| Positions: | 39 |
| Website: | www.courts.qld.gov.au |
| Chiefjudgetitle: | Chief Judge |
| Chiefjudgename: | Brian Devereaux SC |
The District Court of Queensland (QDC) is the second tier in the court hierarchy of Queensland, Australia.[1] The Court deals with serious criminal offences such as rape, armed robbery and fraud. Juries are used to decide if defendants are guilty or not guilty.
The original court was established in 1866 to ease the workload of the Supreme Court of Queensland. However, in 1921 the Queensland Parliament decided District Courts were no longer necessary and the courts were abolished. They were re-established by Parliament in 1958, again to relieve the workload in the Supreme Court. The present court is constituted under the District Court of Queensland Act 1967 (Qld). That Act amalgamated the previous District Court in existence prior to 1967 into the new District Court.
The District Court sits in 32 locations across Queensland. Judges also travel throughout the state to hear matters in regional and remote areas.
Decisions made by the District Court may be heard on appeal to the Supreme Court; and the District Court may sit as an appellate court for decisions made in the Magistrates Court of Queensland. The unreported judgments of the District Courts is published on the Queensland Judgments website.
The District Court has jurisdiction to hear civil matters for which the amount in dispute is less than or equal to $750,000, and more than $150,000. Civil disputes in which the amount in dispute is more than $750,000 are heard by the Supreme Court, while those in which the amount is $150,000 or less are heard by either the Magistrates Court or the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal. District Court civil decisions are published on the Queensland Judgments website.
The District Court has the jurisdiction to hear criminal matters in which the defendant has been charged with a serious indictable offence (such as armed robbery, rape, and dangerous driving). These trials require a jury. District Court criminal decisions are published on the Queensland Judgments website.
The District Court operates permanent courts in Brisbane, located in the Queen Elizabeth II Courts of Law building on George Street, Brisbane CBD; and Cairns, Ipswich, Maroochydore, Rockhampton, Southport, Townsville, and sits in regional areas as required.[2] In Brisbane, the District Court shares the location with the Supreme Court.
, the judges who sat at the District Court, together with their location, were:[3]
| Name | Location | Date appointed | Term in office | Comments | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Judge John Allen | Brisbane | Deputy President, Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal | |||
| Judge Ken Barlow | Brisbane | ||||
| Judge Michael J. F. Burnett | Rockhampton | ||||
| Judge Michael Byrne | Brisbane | ||||
| Judge Glen Cash | Maroochydore | ||||
| Judge Craig Chowdhury | Beenleigh | ||||
| Judge Leanne Clare | Brisbane | ||||
| Judge Jeffrey Clarke | Rockhampton | ||||
| Judge John Coker | Townsville | ||||
| Judge Geraldine Dann | Southport | ||||
| Judge Ian Dearden | Brisbane | ||||
| Justice Julie M. Dick | Brisbane | ||||
| Judge William G. Everson | Brisbane | ||||
| Judge Tracy Fantin | Brisbane | ||||
| Judge Brad Farr | Brisbane | ||||
| Judge Terry Gardiner | Brisbane | Also Chief Magistrate | |||
| Judge Alexander Horneman-Wren | Ipswich | ||||
| Judge Rowan Jackson | Southport | ||||
| Brisbane | |||||
| Judge Richard Jones | Brisbane | ||||
| Judge Nicole Kefford | Brisbane | ||||
| Judge David Kent | Southport | ||||
| Judge Gary Long | Maroochydore | ||||
| Judge Vicki Loury | Brisbane | ||||
| Judge Dennis Lynch | Ipswich | ||||
| Judge Gregory Lynham | Townsville | ||||
| Judge Dean P. Morzone | Cairns | ||||
| Judge Tony Moynihan | Brisbane | ||||
| Judge Catherine Muir | Southport | ||||
| Judge Katherine M. McGinness | Southport | ||||
| Judge Bernard Porter | Brisbane | ||||
| Judge Michael E. Rackemann | Brisbane | ||||
| Judge Anthony J. Rafter | Brisbane | ||||
| Judge David Reid | Brisbane | ||||
| Judge Deborah Richards | Brisbane | ||||
| Judge Orazio Rinaudo | Brisbane | ||||
| Judge Jennifer Rosengren | Brisbane | ||||
| Judge Suzanne C. Sheridan | Brisbane | ||||
| Judge Paul E. Smith | Brisbane | Also Judge Administrator | |||
| Judge Michael Williamson | Brisbane |