The new Senior Judge Administrator of the Supreme Court’s Trial Division has been described as a fitting successor to the role.
Justice Martin Burns’ appointment took effect from 31 December 2025 and he recently took the necessary oaths.
Chief Justice Bowskill congratulated Justice Burns on his appointment as Senior Judge Administrator during the valedictory ceremony marking the retirement of Justice Glenn Martin.
“Justice Burns is a fitting successor to Justice Martin,” Her Honour told the Banco Court in Brisbane.
“Apart from their creative shared devotion to Dean Martin and streets called Martin, they share many of the same characteristics in terms of commitment to the law, to the profession, to the judiciary and to the community.
“As the most senior judge of the Trial Division with more than a decade of experience as a judge in relation to some of the most complex matters which have come before this court, who has overseen or been centrally involved in the development of important initiatives in this court, including our response to the COVID pandemic, our approach to expert evidence in criminal proceedings, and the upcoming bail applications pilot, and who is a valued mentor to many judges, Justice Burns is the ideal person to take on the role as the next leader of the Trial Division.”
The retiring Justice Martin followed what he described the usual valedictory speech formula until his acknowledgement of Justice Burns.
“Having said that, I will depart from it because I want to congratulate my successor in the office of Senior Judge Administrator Justice Burns and wish him all the best,” Justice Martin said.
“He and I worked together on a number of projects over the last few years and at the National Judicial College, and he will fill the task more than competently.
“I promise I will be out of your room by about the middle of next year.”
Justice Burns was admitted as a solicitor in November 1983 and became a Partner five years later.
In July 1991, His Honour was called to the Bar and appointed Queen’s Counsel in November 2008. On 18 December 2014, Justice Burns was appointed as a judge of the Trial Division of the Supreme Court.
Share this article