Attorney General and Minister for Justice Chansey Paech has announced the appointment of two judges to the Northern Territory Local Court, towards improving service delivery and the administration of justice in the Northern Territory.
Dr Anthony Hopkins returns to the Northern Territory from Canberra where he has most recently served as an Acting Justice in the ACT Supreme Court, while Julie Franz has been an Acting Local Court Judge in Darwin.
Judge Hopkins commenced his legal career in the Northern Territory as a legal practitioner at the NT Legal Aid Commission, and the Central Australian Aboriginal Legal Aid Service. He joined the Australian Capital Territory Bar in 2010 and was appointed as a Special Magistrate in 2021, convening the Galambany Court.
Supplementary to his career in the legal profession, Judge Hopkins has worked as a law academic at the University of Canberra and at the Australian National University.
Judge Franz, who has lived in the Northern Territory since 1996, held several positions in the legal sector before establishing a private law firm in 2013. Judge Franz served as a partner and company director with Darwin Family Law until January this year when she accepted a contract position as an Acting Local Court Judge based at the Darwin Local Court.
Judge Franz has extensive legal experience in areas of criminal law, criminal property forfeiture, family law, family dispute resolution, welfare representation, and domestic and personal violence.
Quotes attributable to Attorney General Chansey Paech:
"Judges Hopkins and Franz bring a wealth of legal experience and expertise to our justice system.
"They are well acquainted with the Northern Territory's vast geographical expanse and demographic uniqueness - qualities that will be invaluable in the delivery of fair and equitable justice outcomes.
"I welcome Judges Hopkins and Franz to the Local Court of the Northern Territory with full confidence in their ability to serve Territorians with distinction."
