- Stephen Butcher, Rosemarie Myers, Clare Cullen and Paul Lyons appointed as Magistrates
- Three additional Magistrate positions created under the Justice Pipeline Project
Attorney General John Quigley has announced the appointment of four new Magistrates to the Magistrates Court of Western Australia.
Experienced legal practitioners Stephen Butcher, Rosemarie Myers, Clare Cullen and Paul Lyons will start their new roles on Monday, 11 September 2023.
One of the new Magistrates will fill a vacancy while the other three appointments are newly funded positions.
Admitted as a barrister and solicitor in early 2006, Mr Butcher has specialised in criminal law for much of his career, working alongside some of WA's well-known criminal law barristers.
For almost six years, he has managed a large case load of criminal and other matters as a senior associate at a private law firm, including matters before the Magistrates Court.
In 2008, Ms Myers was also admitted as a barrister and solicitor and after a stint at Legal Aid WA, spent more than eight years in private practice honing her criminal law experience.
Returning to Legal Aid last year as a Senior Solicitor, she established a program to support the legal, psychosocial, and early intervention needs of clients with mental health issues.
Ms Cullen joined WA's Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) as a State Prosecutor about 18 months after being admitted to practice in 2008.
During her 14 years with the ODPP, she prepared and presented numerous jury trials and led large case loads, and became a Senior State Prosecutor two years ago.
Mr Lyons, admitted to practice in 2010, also served as a State Prosecutor at the ODPP before taking up the position of Senior Solicitor with the WA Police Force.
He has managed a broad range of criminal matters, including prosecutions in regional areas, and has appeared as lead counsel in District and Supreme court trials.
As stated by Attorney General John Quigley:
"I am pleased to welcome Stephen Butcher, Rosemarie Myers, Clare Cullen and Paul Lyons on the benches of the Magistrates Court.
"Over their distinguished careers, they have been involved in complex criminal law and other legal matters in the State's court system.
"One of the new Magistrates has extensive experience in private practice, another at Legal Aid and in private practice, and two with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
"Their combined expertise across a broad spectrum of criminal law makes them well-credentialled appointees and will help underpin the court's administering of a heavy workload.
"Congratulations to all four new Magistrates."
