Ewan Crawford
Encyclopedia
Ewan Charles Crawford is an Australia
n judge and Chief Justice
of the Supreme Court of Tasmania
.
Crawford was born in Launceston
to parents Sir George and Lady Crawford. He went to Launceston Church Grammar School
.
He became a student of law in 1959 and worked as an Associate to Chief Justice Stanley Burbury
.
He graduated from University of Tasmania
in 1964. He was employed by Douglas and Collins, Barristers and Solicitors, in Launceston as an employed solicitor.
At his swearing-in, he relates that he had to send away his first client so that he could ask somebody to help him with his advice. He then gave the wrong advice to his second client, and had to call him back to set it straight. He took a year off in 1965 to travel overseas and returned as an employed solicitor in 1966. In 1968 he was made a partner of the firm. In that same year he married Robyn on 18 May, and they now have two sons and a daughter.
He was a Council Member of the Law Society of Tasmania between 1972 to 1984. He became President of the Law Society for 1979–1980. He was also involved in the Northern Regional Law Society and the Northern Area Legal Assistance Committee.
In 1988 Crawford was appointed as a judge of Tasmania's Supreme Court. He was appointed to the Council of the University of Tasmania in 1997. He is a Member of the Board of Legal Education, being a member since 1997, and a Member of the Law Admissions Consultative Committee since 1995.
In 2002 Crawford was made a Fellow of the University of Tasmania.
It was announced on 8 April 2008 that Crawford was to be appointed chief justice following the appointment of Peter Underwood as Governor of Tasmania. His swearing in ceremony was held on 24 April 2008.
In September 2008, Crawford sentenced John Avery on 129 counts of stealing. Avery was the lawyer who represented Port Arthur massacre gunman Martin Bryant
and who is credited with obtaining a guilty plea from Bryant.
He is the first chief justice in Australia to have done away with the red and white robes and long ceremonial wigs in the Supreme Court. saying. "Personally I feel they're out of date and unnecessary".
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n judge and Chief Justice
Chief Justice
The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of...
of the Supreme Court of Tasmania
Supreme Court of Tasmania
The Supreme Court of Tasmania is the highest State court in the Australian State of Tasmania. In the Australian court hierarchy, the Supreme Court of Tasmania is in the middle level, and is able to both receive appeals from lower courts, and able to be appealed from.The ordinary sittings of the...
.
Crawford was born in Launceston
Launceston, Tasmania
Launceston is a city in the north of the state of Tasmania, Australia at the junction of the North Esk and South Esk rivers where they become the Tamar River. Launceston is the second largest city in Tasmania after the state capital Hobart...
to parents Sir George and Lady Crawford. He went to Launceston Church Grammar School
Launceston Church Grammar School
Launceston Church Grammar School is a co-educational private school in Launceston, Tasmania, Australia for years kindergarten through to Year 12....
.
He became a student of law in 1959 and worked as an Associate to Chief Justice Stanley Burbury
Stanley Burbury
Sir Stanley Charles Burbury, KCMG, KCVO, KBE was an Australian jurist. He was the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Tasmania, and the first Australian-born person appointed as Governor of Tasmania 1973-1982.-Biography:...
.
He graduated from University of Tasmania
University of Tasmania
The University of Tasmania is a medium-sized public Australian university based in Tasmania, Australia. Officially founded on 1 January 1890, it was the fourth university to be established in nineteenth-century Australia...
in 1964. He was employed by Douglas and Collins, Barristers and Solicitors, in Launceston as an employed solicitor.
At his swearing-in, he relates that he had to send away his first client so that he could ask somebody to help him with his advice. He then gave the wrong advice to his second client, and had to call him back to set it straight. He took a year off in 1965 to travel overseas and returned as an employed solicitor in 1966. In 1968 he was made a partner of the firm. In that same year he married Robyn on 18 May, and they now have two sons and a daughter.
He was a Council Member of the Law Society of Tasmania between 1972 to 1984. He became President of the Law Society for 1979–1980. He was also involved in the Northern Regional Law Society and the Northern Area Legal Assistance Committee.
In 1988 Crawford was appointed as a judge of Tasmania's Supreme Court. He was appointed to the Council of the University of Tasmania in 1997. He is a Member of the Board of Legal Education, being a member since 1997, and a Member of the Law Admissions Consultative Committee since 1995.
In 2002 Crawford was made a Fellow of the University of Tasmania.
It was announced on 8 April 2008 that Crawford was to be appointed chief justice following the appointment of Peter Underwood as Governor of Tasmania. His swearing in ceremony was held on 24 April 2008.
In September 2008, Crawford sentenced John Avery on 129 counts of stealing. Avery was the lawyer who represented Port Arthur massacre gunman Martin Bryant
Martin Bryant
Martin Bryant is an Australian who has been convicted of murdering 35 people and injuring 21 others in the Port Arthur massacre, a shooting spree in Port Arthur, Tasmania, Australia, in 1996. He is currently serving 35 life sentences plus 1,035 years without parole in the psychiatric wing of...
and who is credited with obtaining a guilty plea from Bryant.
He is the first chief justice in Australia to have done away with the red and white robes and long ceremonial wigs in the Supreme Court. saying. "Personally I feel they're out of date and unnecessary".