Anne Ferguson (judge)
{{short description|Australian judge|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox officeholder|
| honorific-prefix = The Honourable Chief Justice
| name = Anne Ferguson
| honorific-suffix =
| image =
| caption =
| order = 12th
| office = Chief Justice of Victoria
| term_start = 2 October 2017
| term_end = 2 February 2025
| appointer = Linda Dessau
| predecessor = Marilyn Warren
| successor = Richard Niall
| office2 = Judge of the Victorian Court of Appeal
| term_start2 = 12 August 2014
| term_end2 = 2 February 2025
| office3 = Judge of the Supreme Court of Victoria
| term_start3 = 3 May 2010
| term_end3 = 2 February 2025
| birth_date =
| birth_place =
| education = Monash University
University of Southampton
| death_date =
| death_place =
| nationality = {{AUS}}
| spouse = Kim Hargrave|
| nominator = Martin Pakula
}}
Anne Ferguson is an Australian judge and former lawyer who served as Chief Justice of Victoria from 2 October 2017 to 2 February 2025. She was first appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court of Victoria in 2010.
Early life
Ferguson was educated at the Brigidine Sisters’ Killester College in Springvale where she was academic dux. She studied Arts and Law at Monash University, winning the Supreme Court Prize as the top student in her graduating class.{{Cite web|url=https://www.vicbar.com.au/news-events/victorian-bar-congratulates-honourable-justice-anne-ferguson-her-appointment-chief|title=Victorian Bar congratulates the Honourable Justice Anne Ferguson on her appointment as Chief Justice | Victorian Bar}} Ferguson was also appointed Editor of the Monash University Law Review.{{cite web |url=https://www.monash.edu/law/news-and-events/publications/monlr/alumni |title=Alumni - Faculty of Law |website=www.monash.edu |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170504210659/http://www.monash.edu/law/news-and-events/publications/monlr/alumni |archive-date=2017-05-04}}
In 1989, she graduated with a Doctor of Philosophy in Law from the University of Southampton. Her thesis was on unfair contracts.{{Cite web|url=https://www.southampton.ac.uk/law/news/2010/05/Southampton_Postgraduate_appointed_Supreme_Court_Judge_in_Victoria.page|title = Southampton_Postgraduate_appointed_Supreme_Court_Judge_in_Victoria | Southampton Law School | University of Southampton}}
Legal career
Prior to her judicial appointments she worked as a litigator at J.M. Smith & Emmerton and Allens Arthur Robinson. She also previously served as Honorary Secretary to the Council of Legal Education, one of only 5 people to ever hold the position in the organization's 100-year history.{{cite web|url=http://www.liv.asn.au/Practice-Resources/News-Centre/Speeches/Speeches-2010/Welcome-to-the-Honourable-Justice-Anne-Ferguson.aspx?rep=1&glist=0&sdiag=0 |title=Welcome the Honourable Justice Anne Ferguson |access-date=October 4, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140819142419/http://www.liv.asn.au/Practice-Resources/News-Centre/Speeches/Speeches-2010/Welcome-to-the-Honourable-Justice-Anne-Ferguson.aspx?rep=1&glist=0&sdiag=0 |archive-date=August 19, 2014 }}
Judicial office
Ferguson was first appointed a judge of the Trial Division of the Supreme Court of Victoria in 2010. In 2014, she was made a Judge of the Court of Appeal.{{Cite web|url=https://www.supremecourt.vic.gov.au/about-the-court/our-judiciary/judges|title=Judges}}
In August 2017, Ferguson was named as the next chief justice of Victoria, succeeding Marilyn Warren.{{cite news|last1=Boseley|first1=Matilda|title=Next chief justice named with Anne Ferguson to succeed Marilyn Warren in top job|url=http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/next-chief-justice-named-with-appeals-judge-to-succeed-marilyn-warren-in-top-job-20170808-gxrs7p.html|access-date=27 September 2017|work=The Age|date=8 August 2017}} Ferguson took office in October 2017. In her role as chief justice, Ferguson is chair of the Judicial Commission of Victoria.
In 2019, Ferguson heard the high profile County Court appeal of Cardinal George Pell against his conviction for the commission of sexual offences. Ferguson concurred with the Court of Appeal 2–1 majority rejecting the appeal, which was subsequently overruled by the High Court.{{cite news|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-08-21/george-pell-appeal-judgment-summary-transcript/11434304|title=George Pell Victorian Court of Appeal judgment summary transcript|work=ABC News|date=21 August 2019|access-date=23 April 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://www.hcourt.gov.au/assets/publications/judgment-summaries/2020/hca-12-2020-04-07.pdf|title=Judgement Summary: Pell v The Queen [2020] HCA 12|website=High Court of Australia|date=7 April 2020|access-date=23 April 2020}}
On 5 September 2024, it was announced that Ferguson would retire as Chief Justice of Victoria and as a judge of the Supreme Court of Victoria with effect from 2 February 2025.{{Cite web |title=Announcement of the retirement of the Chief Justice of Victoria |url=https://www.supremecourt.vic.gov.au/news/announcement-of-the-retirement-of-the-chief-justice-of-victoria |access-date=2024-09-05 |website=The Supreme Court of Victoria |language=en}}
Personal life
Ferguson is married to fellow Supreme Court judge, Justice Kim Hargrave.{{cite web|last1=Dessau|first1=Linda|title=Swearing in of Chief Justice Anne Ferguson|url=https://www.governor.vic.gov.au/victorias-governor/publications/speeches/speech/speech/644|publisher=Governor of Victoria|access-date=21 November 2017}}
References
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{{s-bef|before=Marilyn Warren}}
{{s-ttl|title= Chief Justice of Victoria |years=2017–2025}}
{{s-aft|after=Richard Niall}}
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Category:Chief justices of Victoria
Category:Judges of the Supreme Court of Victoria
Category:21st-century Australian judges
Category:Australian solicitors
Category:Monash University alumni
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:Place of birth missing (living people)