Her Honour Judge Tuskeen Jacobs spoke openly of bringing “life experience” to her new role in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 2) at Wednesday’s ceremonial welcome sitting in Brisbane.
The former family law solicitor generously and bravely shared her a personal insight into the violent domestic situation that she and her birth mother, who suffered many injuries, faced in South Africa.
Her Honour said her childhood was peppered with memories of being woken to escape the house being smashed up in the early hours of the morning. After her mother’s tragic passing, Her Honour moved to Australia with her father and his wife, who she now calls mum.
Judge Jacobs shared her journey to the law.
“My parents have had an enormous influence on my upbringing and my values,” she shared.
“They brought their children from South Africa to Australia in the eighties because they did not want us to grow up under the Apartheid regime. They left behind all their family, their friends, my dad’s business, something he is very proud of, to arrive in Australia with modest means.
“They impressed upon me the values of hard work, and perhaps without even realising it, to be of service to others. My father, in particular, the trait of resilience.
“He would often tell me ‘just keep going forward Tuss, don’t buckle under pressure’ when things seemed tough…I am pleased to report that I intend to keep following that advice.”
Her Honour said the sacrifices made by her parents to give her an opportunity at equality has never been lost.
“I have always fought for things as they should be and I have hated injustice of any kind,” she said.
“As you have heard I initially pursued a degree in psychology but after volunteering as a crisis counsellor at Lifeline for many years … I realised psychology was not the profession for me and I made the switch to law.
“I saw the practice of family law as giving me the opportunity to right the wrongs of my upbringing, and so it was never an option for me to practise in any other jurisdiction other than family law.”
Her Honour practised as a solicitor in family law for more than 20 years and become a Partner at Rostron Carlyle Rojas Lawyers, heading up the family law department.
Elizabeth Shearer, on behalf of the Law Council of Australia and Queensland Law Society, spoke not only of the important work of the Family Court (“there are no easy cases here”) but of Her Honour’s commitment to the law.
“… as an Accredited Family Law Specialist with over 20 years of experience, your knowledge of family law is both wide and deep,” Elizabeth said. “But paired with Your Honour’s technical expertise is your compassion.
“Your Honour truly understands and respects that family law is about people who are going through some of the most difficult times of their lives, and deserve kindness, empathy, certainty and closure.”
Judge Jacobs is noted for her advocacy skills.
Elizabeth noted Her Honour’s study in psychology, saying “no doubt it plays a role in Your Honour’s outstanding ability to read people and to understand and consider the human as well as the legal dimensions of the issues coming before you for determination”.
She said Judge Jacobs was also known for her “meticulous attention to detail, strong organisational skills, your capacity to quickly get to the core of an issue and ability to remain calm even as chaos reigns all around you”.
“These qualities predict a successful life on this bench.”
Shannon Daykin, from the Family Law Practitioners Association of Queensland (FLPA), also spoke of Her Honour’s “attention to detail and love of order” albeit with some light-hearted examples that the Judge may have wanted to “keep under wraps”.
“Should any other of your fellow judges or other court staff notice that someone has made the court Christmas tree more symmetrical, or its decorations better spaced out or with improved colour co-ordination or generally just more ordered overnight, it is a fairly good bet this would have been Your Honour after people have left for the evening,” Shannon shared with the court.
“The same could be said if Your Honour decides that Your Honour’s chambers could be neater, tidier or cleaner. Your Honour current and future associate ought rest assured that Her Honour will check and remedy as she sees fit.”
Shannon also shared that Her Honour’s advocacy skills were well developed, possibly starting as a 10-year-old contestant on the children’s TV game show Now You See It.
And as several members of the legal profession were singing Her Honour’s praises and sharing her love of karaoke, it was revealed by the FLPA President that the Judge had made it to round four of Australian Idol as a junior solicitor.
“That attention to detail and pursuit of excellence will undoubtedly be skills that Your Honour continues to adopt as a judge of this honourable court,” Shannon said.
“Your Honour’s colleagues praise you as a formidable advocate whilst a solicitor, and any member of our profession standing before you ought not to do so without the same attention to detail, strategic preparation and fearless that Your Honour has demonstrated prior to Your Honour’s elevation.”
Chief Justice Alstergren spoke at the ceremony.
The Chief Justice of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia, the Hon Will Alstergren AO, said Her Honour had “brought a great breadth of legal skill and knowledge to the court”.
“I have little doubt that you will honour the gravity of your commission and serve the families that rely upon this court with great skill, compassion, fairness and decency.”
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