Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory

Established on 1 January 1934 by the Seat of Government Supreme Court Act 1933, assented to on 9 December 1933, to take over the jurisdiction in territory matters that the High Court had exercised and to sit above the Court of Petty Sessions. Its first judge, Lionel Lukin, appointed on 25 January 1934 and also a judge of the Federal Court of Bankruptcy, presided at its first sitting in the Acton House courthouse on 12 February 1934; he was its sole judge until November 1943.

Legislation: Seat of Government Supreme Court Act 1933 (later the Australian Capital Territory Supreme Court Act 1933)

1. 1938The Federal Capital Territory was renamed the Australian Capital Territory and the court took the territory's new name; its Act later bore the title Australian Capital Territory Supreme Court Act 1933. Whether the court's statutory name changed at that point, rather than only its usage, is not confirmed.
2. January 1941Moved to the Patents Office building near the provisional Parliament House, where it sat until the Law Courts Building in Civic was completed in 1963.
3. 11 May 1989The Australian Capital Territory attained self-government; the court stayed a Commonwealth responsibility until 1992.

Transferred to the self-governing Australian Capital Territory on 1 July 1992 under the A.C.T. Supreme Court (Transfer) Act 1992; it continues as a court of the territory.

• Superior civil and criminal jurisdiction in the territory
• Trial of serious criminal offences
• Appeals from the Court of Petty Sessions

Last in the portfolio of Attorney-General's Department.

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Some dates or links for this organisation are not fully confirmed. Corrections are welcome.