Federal Circuit Court of Australia Bill will rename Federal Magistrate's Court

The Federal Magistrate's Court will soon have its name changed to the Federal Circuit Court of Australia  in order to better reflect its changing role in the Australia legal system, under the Commonwealth Government's Federal Circuit Court of Australia Legislation Amendment Bill 2012 introduced today by the Attorney-General, Nicola Roxon.

This Bill amends the Federal Magistrates Act 1999 and other legislation to rename the Federal Magistrates Court as the ‘Federal Circuit Court of Australia’, and to change the title of Chief Federal Magistrate to ‘Chief Judge’ and Federal Magistrates to ‘Judge’.

The renaming is expected to reflect the greater role of the Federal Magistrate's Court in resolving cases which are greater in diversity and complexity than first anticipated with over 83,000 matters passing through its doors in the 2010-11 year alone.

It is also the only court with a regular regional circuit and the rename will highlight the Court's current commitment to improving access to court services for people living outside the larger metropolitan areas.

This retitling of the Court forms part of the wider Federal Court's Reform Package proposed by the Gillard Government. Although this Bill will not alter the jurisdiction or the status of the Federal Magistrates Court and the arrangements under which it operates, other parts of the Reform Package will increase costs for corporate litigation (to encourage other avenues of dispute resolution); implement a transparent complaints process against judicial officers; expand the diversity of judicial appointments and establish the new Military Court of Australia for Defence Force members.

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