Judicial officers and decision makers

To contact a judicial officer or decision maker, please see their contact details.

Information on addressing judicial officers and decision makers is available here.

Judges

Judges have the same rank, title, status and precedence as the Judges of the Supreme Court of New South Wales. Judges preside over all Class 3 (Aboriginal land claims) matters, most Class 3 (land tenure and compensation) matters, Class 4, 5, 6 and 7 matters, and can hear matters in all other Classes of the Court’s jurisdiction.

The Judges, in order of seniority, are as follows:

Chief Judge

The Honourable Justice Brian John Preston SC
Graduated BA LLB (first class honours) (1982) from Macquarie University. Practised as a solicitor 1982 - 1987. Practised as a barrister 1987 - 2005. Appointed Senior Counsel 1999. Appointed Chief Judge 14 November 2005.

Contact Information | Speeches and papers

Judges

The Honourable Justice Nicola Hope Margaret Pain 
Graduated BA (1982) LLB (1984) SJD (2000) from the University of Sydney. Graduate Diploma (Int Law) (1999) from the Australian National University. Practised as a solicitor 1985 - 2002. Appointed Judge 18 March 2002.
Contact Information | Speeches and papers

The Honourable Justice Rachel Ann Pepper
Graduated BA (1992) LLB (first class honours) (1994) from the Australian National University. Practised as a solicitor 1995-1996. Practised as a barrister 1997-2009. Appointed Judge 1 May 2009.
Contact Information | Speeches and papers

The Honourable Justice John Ernest Robson
Graduated B. Ec (1978) LLB (1982) from the University of Sydney. Practised as a solicitor 1982 - 1988.  Practised as a barrister 1989 - 2016. Appointed Senior Counsel 2004.  Appointed Judge 5 July 2016.
Contact Information | Speeches and papers

The Honourable Justice Sandra Duggan
Graduated BA LLB (1987) from Macquarie University. Practised as a solicitor 1988-1995. Practised as a barrister 1995-2019. Appointed Senior Counsel 2010. Appointed Judge 10 September 2019.
Contact Information | Speeches and papers

The Honourable Justice Dr Sarah Pritchard SC
Graduated BA (1985) LLB (1986) from the University of New South Wales. Graduated LLM (1988) Doctor of Laws (1994) from the University of Tübingen, Germany. Practised as a barrister 1999-2022. Appointed Senior Counsel 2012. Appointed Judge 15 November 2022.
Contact Information | Speeches and papers

Commissioners

Suitably qualified people may be appointed as commissioners of the Court. The qualifications and experience required for a commissioner are specified in s 12 of the Court Act and include the areas of:

• administration of local government or town planning
• town, country or environmental planning
• environmental science, protection of the environment or environmental assessment
• land valuation
• architecture, engineering, surveying or building construction
• management of natural resources or Crown Lands
• urban design or heritage
• land rights for Aboriginal people or disputes involving Aboriginal people 
• law.

People may be appointed as full-time or part-time commissioners for a term of seven years. An individual may also be appointed as an acting commissioner for a term of up to 12 months. Acting commissioners are called upon on a casual basis to exercise the functions of a commissioner as the need arises.

The primary function of Commissioners is to adjudicate, conciliate or mediate merits review appeals in Classes 1, 2, and 3 of the Court’s jurisdiction. On occasion the Chief Judge may direct that a Commissioner sit with a judge, or that two or more commissioners sit together to hear Class 1, 2 and 3 matters.

A commissioner who is an Australian lawyer may also hear and determine proceedings in Class 8 of the Court’s jurisdiction (when they are called a Commissioner for Mining).

The Commissioners are:

Commissioners

Senior Commissioner Susan A Dixon
Appointed Senior Commissioner 6 July 2023 - 5 July 2030.
Appointed Commissioner 6 July 2016 - 28 January 2018.
Biography (PDF, 101.2 KB)| Contact Information

Commissioner Susan O'Neill 
Appointed Commissioner 30 January 2019 - 29 January 2026.
Biography (PDF, 72.3 KB) | Contact Information

Commissioner Danielle Dickson 
Appointed Commissioner 18 July 2023 - 17 July 2030.
Biography (PDF, 72.4 KB)| Contact Information​​

​Commissioner Joanne ​Gray 
Appointed Commissioner 18 April 2024 - 17 April 2031.
Biography (PDF, 41.0 KB)| Contact Information​

Commissioner Peter Walsh
Appointed Commissioner 29 January 2018 - 28 January 2025.
Biography (PDF, 71.1 KB)| Contact Information​​

Commissioner Timothy Horton
Appointed Commissioner 5 November 2018 - 4 November 2025.
| Contact Information​​

Commissioner Elizabeth Espinosa
Appointed Commissioner 1 June 2020 - 31 May 2027.
Biography (PDF, 71.4 KB) | Contact Information​​

Commissioner Shona Porter
Appointed Commissioner 7 August 2023 - 6 August 2030.
| Contact Information​​

Commissioner Nicola Targett
Lawyer
Appointed Commissioner 28 June 2024 - 27 June 2031.
Biography | Contact Information

Commissioner Emma Washington
Landscape architect
Appointed Acting Commissioner 1 July 2023 - 30 June 2031.
Biography | Contact Information

Acting Commissioners

Acting Commissioner Paul Adam 
Botanist and ecologist
Appointed Acting Commissioner 23 February 2023 - 21 February 2024.
Biography (PDF, 110.6 KB)| Contact Information

Acting Commissioner Louise Byrne
Lawyer
Appointed Acting Commissioner 20 February 2023 - 19 February 2025.
Biography | Contact Information

Acting Commissioner Laurenne Coetzee
Environmental scientist
Appointed Acting Commissioner 13 May 2024 – 12 May 2026.
Biography | Contact Information

Acting Commissioner Michael Davidson
Valuer
Appointed Acting Commissioner 25 November 2024 - 23 November 2025.
Biography (PDF, 70.5 KB) | Contact Information

Acting Commissioner Megan Davis 
Member of the Aboriginal community and lawyer
Appointed Acting Commissioner 22 February 2024 - 21 February 2025.
Biography | Contact Information

Acting Commissioner John Douglas
Arborist
Appointed Acting Commissioner 25 November 2024 - 23 November 2025.
Biography | Contact Information

Acting Commissioner David Galwey 
Arboricultural consultant
Appointed Acting Commissioner 22 February 2024 - 21 February 2025.
Biography (PDF, 11.1 KB)| Contact Information

Acting Commissioner Stuart Harding
Town planner
Appointed Acting Commissioner 25 November 2024 - 23 November 2025.
Biography | Contact Information

Acting Commissioner Peter Kempthorne
Valuer
Appointed Acting Commissioner 22 February 2024 - 21 February 2025.
Biography | Contact Information

Acting Commissioner Paul Knight
Valuer
Appointed Acting Commissioner 22 February 2024 - 21 February 2025.
Biography | Contact Information

Acting Commissioner Gwenda Kullen
Civil engineer and town planner
Appointed Acting Commissioner 20 February 2023 - 19 February 2025.
Biography | Contact Information

Acting Commissioner Niall Macken
Architect
Appointed Acting Commissioner 13 May 2024 – 12 May 2026.
Biography | Contact Information

Acting Commissioner Helena Miller
Planner
Appointed Acting Commissioner 13 May 2024 – 12 May 2026.
Biography | Contact Information

Acting Commissioner Dr Peter Moore
Natural resource manager
Appointed Acting Commissioner 13 May 2024 – 12 May 2026.
Biography | Contact Information

Acting Commissioner Peter Nichols
Environmental scientist and ecologist
Appointed Acting Commissioner 13 May 2024 – 12 May 2026.
Biography | Contact Information

Acting Commissioner David Parker
Valuer
Appointed Acting Commissioner 20 February 2023 - 19 February 2025.
Biography | Contact Information

Acting Commissioner Maureen Peatman
Lawyer
Appointed Acting Commissioner 22 February 2024 - 21 February 2025.
Biography | Contact Information

Acting Commissioner Matthew Pullinger
Architect and urban designer
Appointed Acting Commissioner 22 February 2024 - 21 February 2025.
Biography (PDF, 69.3 KB) | Contact Information

Acting Commissioner Andrew Smith
Lawyer and member of the Aboriginal community
Appointed Acting Commissioner 25 November 2024 - 23 November 2025.
Biography (PDF, 71.6 KB) | Contact Information

Acting Commissioner Dr Amelia Thorpe
Planning and environmental lawyer
Appointed Acting Commissioner 13 May 2024 – 12 May 2026.
Biography | Contact Information

Acting Commissioner Michael Young
Environmental scientist
Appointed Acting Commissioner 13 May 2024 – 12 May 2026.
Biography | Contact Information

Registrars

The Court registrar has the overall administrative responsibility for the court, as well as exercising quasi-judicial powers such as conducting directions hearings and mediations. The Chief Judge directs the registrar on the day to day running of the Court.

The Court is a business centre within the Department of Attorney General and Justice. The registrar, as Business Centre Manager, has reporting and budgetary responsibilities to the Director General of that department.

The registrars are:

Registrar

Ms Sarah Froh 
| Contact Information

Senior Deputy Registrar

Ms Donette Holm 
| Contact Information​

Acting Deputy Registrar

Ms Anita Chang
| Contact Information​

Past Judicial officers and decision makers

Past Chief Judges

The Honourable Justice PD McClellan 
Appointed Chief Judge 25 August 2003 – 1 September 2005.
Speeches and papers

The Honourable Justice ML Pearlman AO 
Appointed Chief Judge 6 April 1992 - 3 July 2003.
Speeches and papers

The Honourable Justice JS Cripps 
Appointed Judge 18 August 1980 - 2 June 1985.
Appointed Chief Judge 3 June 1985 - 1 April 1992.

The Honourable Justice JR McClelland 
Appointed Chief Judge 14 April 1980 - 2 June 1985.

Past Judges

The Honourable Justice Timothy John Moore
Appointed Judge 4 January 2015 - 3 November 2023.

The Honourable Justice Terence William Sheahan AO
Appointed Judge 9 April 1997 - 16 August 2019.

The Honourable Justice Malcolm Graeme Craig
Appointed Judge 2 March 2010 - 5 June 2016.

The Honourable Justice Peter Meldrum Biscoe
Appointed Judge 13 March 2006 - 12 March 2016.

The Honourable Mr Justice D H Lloyd 
Appointed Judge 5 February 1997 - 22 January 2010.

The Honourable Justice J M Jagot 
Appointed Judge 1 February 2006 - 2 September 2008.

The Honourable Justice R N Talbot 
Appointed Acting Chief Judge 2 September 2005 - 13 November 2005.
Appointed Judge 22 April 1992 - 30 January 2006.
Appointed Acting Judge 31 January 2006 - 29 August 2007.

The Honourable Justice NR Bignold 
Appointed Acting Judge 1 August 1984 - 2 June 1985.
Appointed Judge 3 June 1985 - 13 March 2007.
Appointed Acting Chief Judge 4 July 2003 - 24 August 2003.

The Honourable Justice DA Cowdroy OAM 
Appointed Judge 1 July 1999 - 12 March 2006.

The Honourable Justice PL Stein AM 
Appointed Judge 3 June 1985 - 7 April 1997.

The Honourable Justice CJ Bannon 
Appointed Judge 12 August 1991 - 27 November 1996.

The Honourable Justice NA Hemmings 
Appointed Judge 12 October 1987 - 28 June 1991.

The Honourable Justice ET Perrignon 
Appointed Judge 18 August 1980 - 11 October 1987.

Past Acting Judges

The Honourable Acting Justice Simon Molesworth AO
Appointed Acting Judge 23 January 2017 - 31 December 2018

The Honourable Acting Justice David Henry Lloyd 
Appointed Acting Judge 5 March 2012 - 10 August 2012

The Honourable Acting Justice M F Moore 
Appointed Acting Judge 3 October 2011 - 16 December 2011.

The Honourable Acting Justice PJ McEwen 
Appointed Acting Judge 12 June 2001 - 31 August 2001.

The Honourable Acting Justice HG Murrell 
Appointed Acting Judge 2 December 1996 - 17 January 1997.

The Honourable Acting Justice TW Waddell 
Appointed Acting Judge 1 June 1994 - 31 December 1994.

The Honourable Acting Justice KJ Holland 
Appointed Acting Judge 4 July 1988 - 16 December 1988.

Past Commissioners

Past Senior Assessors and Senior Commissioners 
Neal Bignold
Frank Hanson
Peter Jensen
Rosemary Martin
Tim Moore
John Roseth

Past Assessors and Commissioners 
Graham Andrews
John Bailey
Sarah Bish
Edward Blakely
Trevor Bly
Alan Bradbury
Graham T Brown
Professor Catherine Bull
Stan Chivers
Trefor Davies
Joan Domicelj
Judy A Fakes
Judith Fitz-Henry
Frank Hanson
Phillip Hewett
Kevin G Hoffman
Robert R Hussey
Heather Irish
David Johnson
Kenneth Jurotte
Jeffrey Kildea
John Maston
Christopher McEwen
Susan I Morris
Jan Murrell
Anthony Nott
Francis O'Neil
Bryce O'Neile
David Parker
Linda Pearson
Stephen Phillips
Kenneth Riding
Lynne Sheridan
Bob Smith
Jennifer Smithson
Alan Stewart
Mark Patrick Taylor
Annelise Tuor
Stafford Watts