Media Release | 22 July 2010
Attorney-General, Delia Lawrie, today announced Justice Trevor Riley as the Northern Territory’s new Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
“Justice Riley brings 36 years of legal service in the Territory to the position of Chief Justice, including more than a decade on the Supreme Court bench,” Ms Lawrie said.
Justice Riley has contributed to the development of the Territory’s legal sector including as a Member of the Law Faculty Board, lecturing at Charles Darwin University and recently as Chairman of the Indigenous Law Students Mentoring Program.
Justice Riley is also a convener with the National Judicial College of Australia and is well regarded for his considerable involvement in the Territory community supporting a range of organisations including St John Ambulance and arts and sporting bodies.
“I would like to once again thank Chief Justice Brian Martin who is retiring from the position in September,” Ms Lawrie said.
Justice Riley will take up the position upon the retirement of the current Chief Justice. A ceremonial sitting for the retirement of Chief Justice Martin will be held on August 20.
BIOGRAPHY
Justice Riley graduated with a Batchelor of Laws from the University of Western Australia in 1969.
After practising in Western Australia, in 1974 Justice Riley moved to the Territory where he was employed as a solicitor with Withnall and Barker.
From 1988 to 1991 he was counsel in the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody.
Justice Riley was appointed as a Queen’s Counsel in 1989 and was President of the Northern Territory Bar Association from 1993 to 1997.
He was appointed to the Supreme Court Bench in February 1999. He is a former member of the Legal Practitioners Complaints Committee, the Law Reform Committee, the Public Purposes Trust and the Legal Practitioners Admission Board.
During his time in the Territory Justice Riley has been an active member of the Northern Territory Football League and involved in other sports.
Justice Riley is married to Jan and has a son, Shane and a daughter, Jennifer.