Acting Judges reappointed as persistent Supreme Court backlog continues (2025)

The State Government has reappointed two acting judges to the Supreme Court of Tasmania as it grapples with a record backlog of about 900 cases.

Discussions were held and an announcement was expected.

On Tuesday Mr Barnett said Acting Justice [Shane] Marshall had been reappointed for a six month period to September 30, 2025. He was due to cease his full time appointment on March 31, 2025.

He said Acting Justice [David] Porter had been reappointed part-time for a six month period to December 30, 2025. He was due to cease his full time appointment on June 30, 2025.

"I congratulate both Acting Justice Marshall and Acting Justice Porter on their reappointments and I am pleased they will continue to administer their important service to our community," Mr Barnett said.

Tasmania's third acting Justice Brian Martin AO ceases his part-time appointment on June 30, 2025.

Recently a Supreme Court Judge Michael Brett remarked that it was inexcusable that two defendants had been forced to wait three and half years for trial.

Several recent matters before the Supreme Court on Launceston date back to 2021-22.

The 2023-24 and 2024-25 Tasmanian Budgets contained an allocation of $600,000 per year for acting judges but no amount was included in forward estimates for 2025-26.

A spokeswoman said the Government would consider future funding as part of the 2025-26 State Budget which is to be brought down on May 29.

The 2023-24 Budget papers said that following the appointment of a seventh Supreme Court judge [Tamara Jago] in 2021 acting judges would only be required to deal with any matters that the existing judges are unable to manage due conflicts of interest.

In 2021-22 and 2022-23 Tasmanian Budgets the allocation for acting judges was $1,276, 000 per year.