Judge Advocate General (Australia)
The Judge Advocate General (JAG) of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) is an office established under the Defence Force Discipline Act (1982). This position is held by a judge or former judge of a federal court or a state supreme court. The appointment of the JAG is made by the Governor-General-in-Council. The JAG has the authority to establish procedural rules for tribunals operating within the Navy, Army, and Air Force. They also conduct the final legal review of proceedings within the ADF and play a role in the appointment of judge advocates, Defence Force magistrates, presidents, and members of courts martial, as well as legal officers for various purposes. Additionally, the JAG is responsible for reporting on the operation of laws concerning the discipline of the ADF.[1]
The current Judge Advocate General is Major General the Hon. Justice Paul Smith AM.
The JAG is assisted by three deputy judge advocates general (DJAG), one for each service:
- DJAG – Navy
- DJAG – Army
- DJAG – Air Force
The current Deputy Judge Advocates General are:[2]
- Navy: Commodore Her Honour Judge Catherine Traill RAN
- Army: Vacant
- Air Force: Air Commodore The Hon. Justice Melissa Perry
List of Judge Advocates General
The following individuals have been appointed as Judge Advocate General of the Australian Defence Force:
| Order | Name | Organisation | Term start | Term end | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MAJGEN The Hon. Robert Mohr RFD ED | Supreme Court of South Australia | 1985 | 30 July 1987 | [3] |
| 2 | AVM The Hon. Alastair Nicholson AO RFD | Chief Justice of the Family Court of Australia | February 1988 | 1992 | |
| 3 | RADM The Hon. Alwynne Rowlands AO RFD RANR | Family Court of Australia | 1992 | 1996 | |
| 4 | MAJGEN The Hon. Kevin Duggan AM RFD | Supreme Court of South Australia | 1996 | 2001 | |
| 5 | MAJGEN The Hon. Len Roberts-Smith RFD | Supreme Court of Western Australia | June 2002 | 2007 | |
| 6 | MAJGEN The Hon. Richard Tracey AM RFD | Federal Court of Australia | 26 September 2007 | 29 July 2014 | |
| 7 | RADM The Hon. Michael Slattery AM RAN | Supreme Court of New South Wales | 30 July 2014 | 2021 | |
| 8 | RADM The Hon. Jack Rush RFD KC RAN | Supreme Court of Victoria | 2021 | 2026 | [4] |
| 9 | MAJGEN The Hon. Paul Smith AM | Supreme Court of Queensland | 13 August 2026 | Incumbent | [5] |
See also
References
- ↑ "About the Judge Advocate General". Department of Defence. Australian Government. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
- ↑ "Statutory Appointments". Department of Defence. 21 August 2026. Archived from the original on 10 March 2026. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
- ↑ "Report for the period 1 January to 31 December 2014" (PDF). Department of Defence. Australian Government. 2015. p. 2. ISSN 0817-9956. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
- ↑ "Announcement of new Judge Advocate General for the ADF". www.lawcouncil.asn.au. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
- ↑ "Justice Smith appointed Judge Advocate General". www.qlsproctor.com.au. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
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