News 2009

Role of the Children’s Court Clinic assessment report in decision making

November 2009: Read Judge Marien's address about the Role of the Children's Court Clinic Assessment Report in Decision Making (PDF, 37.8 KB), delivered Friday, 30 October, to the clinicians at the Court Clinic's Professional Development Day.

Transcript of President's ceremonial sitting

October 2009: On 1 June there was a ceremonial sitting of the Court to welcome Judge Marien as the first President of the Children's Court of New South Wales. The welcome speeches made by the Attorney General and Mr Joseph Catanzariti, President of the Law Society of New South Wales, and Judge Marien's speech in reply are recorded in the transcript. (PDF, 48.2 KB)

New Practice Note issued - YDAC

August 2009: On 28 August 2009 the President, Judge Marien issued Practice Note 1 - Youth Drug and Alcohol Court.

Children's Court Magistrates in 2010

August 2009: The Court is pleased to announce the following Local Court Magistrates will be sitting as specialist Children's Court Magistrates in 2010:

Magistrate Baptie
Magistrate Blewitt
Magistrate Carney
Magistrate Corry
Magistrate Ellis
Magistrate Hogg
Magistrate Keogh
Magistrate Mulroney
Magistrate Murphy
Magistrate Russell
Magistrate Ryan
Magistrate Sbrizzi

First President of the Children's Court of NSW

June 2009: Judge Mark Marien is the inaugural President of the Children’s Court of New South Wales, his appointment celebrated at a ceremonial sitting attended by the NSW Attorney General John Hatzistergos in a crowded Court Six on 1 June. Judge Marien sat with the full bench of the court to hear welcome speeches from the Attorney General and Mr Joseph Catanzariti, President of the Law Society of New South Wales, and to give his speech in reply.

As outlined by the Attorney, Judge Marien’s distinguished career in the law and public life included recently serving on the District Court Bench, admission to the Bar in 1986 and membership of the Mental Health Review Tribunal and the board of the Inner City Legal Centre.

A former Arts/Law graduate, Judge Marien maintains a keen interest in the arts as a longtime Board member of both the Seymour Centre Group and the Marian Street Theatre. He was also Business Manager and Assistant to the General Manager of the Australian Opera from 1982 –1985.

Mr Hatzistergos said the role of President of the Children’s Court was created as part of the reforms made to protect children from harm and to deter them from offending. He said the government reforms were based on the landmark report, entitled Keeping Them Safe, of former Supreme Court Justice the Honourable James Wood AO QC, and implemented in the Children Legislation Amendment (Wood Inquiry Recommendations) Act 2009.

Children Legislation Amendment (Wood Inquiry Recommendations) Act 2009 commences 1 June 2009

May 2009: The following provisions of the Children Legislation Amendment (Wood Inquiry Recommendations) Act 2009 will commence on 1 June 2009:

(a) Schedule 2.1 [4]
(b) Schedule 2.2 [1] - [6], [8], [9] and [11] - [15]
(c) Schedule 2.2 [16] (except to the extent that it would insert clause 8 in Schedule 2 to the Children's Court Act 1987)
(d) Schedule 2.3,
(e) Schedule 2.4,
(f) Schedule 2.5,
(g) Schedule 2.6 [1] and [2]