List of Justices of the High Court of Australia by time in office

This is a list of Justices of the High Court of Australia
High Court of Australia
The High Court of Australia is the supreme court in the Australian court hierarchy and the final court of appeal in Australia. It has both original and appellate jurisdiction, has the power of judicial review over laws passed by the Parliament of Australia and the parliaments of the States, and...

by time in office.

Rank by term length	Name	Term of office	Days in office
1	Sir Edward Aloysius McTiernan Edward McTiernan Sir Edward Aloysius McTiernan, KBE , was an Australian jurist, lawyer and politician. He served as an Australian Labor Party member of both the New South Wales Legislative Assembly and federal House of Representatives before being appointed to the High Court of Australia in 1930...	20 December 1930 - 12 September 1976	16,703
2	Sir George Edward Rich George Rich Sir George Edward Rich KCMG PC , Australian judge, was a justice of the High Court of Australia.Rich was born in the town of Braidwood, New South Wales, in 1863. He was educated at Sydney Grammar School, and later studied at the University of Sydney, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in...	5 April 1913 - 5 May 1950	13,544
3	Sir Owen Dixon Owen Dixon Sir Owen Dixon, OM, GCMG, KC Australian judge and diplomat, was the sixth Chief Justice of Australia. A justice of the High Court for thirty-five years, Dixon was one of the leading jurists in the English-speaking world and is widely regarded as Australia's greatest ever jurist.-Education:Dixon... *	4 February 1929 - 13 April 1964	12,852⁺
4	Sir Hayden Erskine Starke Hayden Starke Sir Hayden Erskine Starke KCMG , an Australian judge, was a justice of the High Court of Australia.Starke was born in the town of Creswick, Victoria in 1871...	5 February 1920 - 31 January 1950	10,953
5	Sir Isaac Alfred Isaacs Isaac Isaacs Sir Isaac Alfred Isaacs GCB GCMG KC was an Australian judge and politician, was the third Chief Justice of Australia, ninth Governor-General of Australia and the first born in Australia to occupy that post. He is the only person ever to have held both positions of Chief Justice of Australia and... *	12 October 1906 - 21 January 1931	8,867⁺
6	Sir Anthony Frank Mason*^†	7 August 1972 - 20 April 1995	8,291⁺
7	Sir Frank Gavan Duffy Frank Gavan Duffy Sir Frank Gavan Duffy, KCMG, PC, QC , Australian judge, was the fourth Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia, sitting on the bench of the High Court from 1913 to 1935.-Early life:... *	11 February 1913 - 1 October 1935	8,267⁺
8	Henry Bournes Higgins	20 December 1906 - 13 January 1929	8,060
9	Sir Frank Walters Kitto Frank Kitto Sir Frank Walters Kitto, AC, KBE, QC , Australian judge, was a Justice of the High Court of Australia.Kitto was born in Melbourne in 1903, but his family moved to Sydney, when his father James Kitto became the Deputy Director of Posts and Telegraphs in New South Wales. There he was educated at...	10 May 1950 - 1 August 1970	7,388
10	Sir Dudley Williams Dudley Williams Sir Dudley Williams, KBE, MC, KC , Australian judge, was a Justice of the High Court of Australia.Williams was born in Sydney, and was educated at Sydney Grammar School...	15 October 1940 - 31 July 1958	6,498
11	Sir Francis Gerard Brennan Gerard Brennan Sir Francis Gerard Brennan, AC, KBE, QC , is an Australian lawyer, judge and 10th Chief Justice of Australia. He is father to Jesuit priest and lawyer Frank Brennan.... *^†	12 February 1981 - 21 May 1998	6,307⁺
12	Sir Alan Russell Taylor Alan Taylor (jurist) Sir Alan Russell Taylor KBE KC, 25 November 1901 – 3 August 1969) Australian judge, was a Justice of the High Court of Australia.Taylor was born in 1901 in the city of Newcastle, New South Wales...	3 September 1952 - 3 August 1969	6,178
13	Sir Garfield Edward John Barwick Garfield Barwick Sir Garfield Edward John Barwick, was the Attorney-General of Australia , Minister for External Affairs and the seventh and longest serving Chief Justice of Australia... *	27 April 1964 - 11 February 1981	6,134
14	Michael Hudson McHugh Michael McHugh Michael Hudson McHugh, AC, QC is a former justice of the High Court of Australia; the highest court in the Australian court hierarchy.-Judicial Activity:...	14 February 1989 - 1 November 2005	6,104
15	William Montague Charles Gummow William Gummow William Montague Charles Gummow AC is a Justice of the High Court of Australia, the highest court in the Australian court hierarchy.-Biography:... ^†	21 April 1995 - present
16	Sir Harry Talbot Gibbs Harry Gibbs Sir Harry Talbot Gibbs, GCMG, AC, KBE, QC was Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia from 1981 to 1987 after serving as a member of the High Court between 1970 and 1981... *^†	4 August 1970 - 5 February 1987	6,029⁺
17	Sir John Latham*	11 October 1935 - 7 April 1952	6,023
18	Sir Douglas Ian Menzies Douglas Menzies Sir Douglas Ian Menzies KBE , Australian judge, was a Justice of the High Court of Australia.-Biography:Menzies was born in Ballarat, Victoria, in 1907. He was educated at Hobart High School and Devonport High School in Tasmania, before returning to Victoria to study at the University of Melbourne...	12 June 1958 - 29 November 1974	6,014
19	Sir Charles Powers Charles Powers Sir Charles Powers KCMG , Australian politician and judge, was a Justice of the High Court of Australia from 1913 to 1929....	5 March 1913 - 22 July 1929	5,983
20	Sir Edmund Barton Edmund Barton Sir Edmund Barton, GCMG, KC , Australian politician and judge, was the first Prime Minister of Australia and a founding justice of the High Court of Australia....	5 October 1903 - 7 January 1920	5,938
21	Sir Samuel Walter Griffith Samuel Griffith Sir Samuel Walker Griffith GCMG QC, was an Australian politician, Premier of Queensland, Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia and a principal author of the Constitution of Australia.-Early life:... *	5 October 1903 - 17 October 1919	5,856
22	Mary Genevieve Gaudron Mary Gaudron Mary Genevieve Gaudron, AC, QC , Australian lawyer and judge, was the first female Justice of the High Court of Australia.-Youth:... ^†	6 February 1987 - 31 January 2003	5,838
23	Sir Daryl Dawson Daryl Dawson Sir Daryl Michael Dawson, AC, KBE, CB Australian judge and naval officer, was a Justice of the High Court of Australia from 1982 to 1997.-Education:... ^†	30 July 1982 - 15 August 1997	5,495
24	Kenneth Madison Hayne Kenneth Hayne Kenneth Madison Hayne AC is a Justice of the High Court of Australia which is the highest court in the Australian court hierarchy.-Education and professional life:... ^†	22 September 1997 - present
25	Sir William John Victor Windeyer	8 September 1958 - 29 February 1972	4,922
26	Sir William Patrick Deane William Deane Sir William Patrick Deane, AC, KBE, QC , Australian judge and the 22nd Governor-General of Australia.-Early life:William Deane was born in Melbourne, Victoria. He was educated at Catholic schools including St. Joseph's College, Hunters Hill and at the University of Sydney, where he graduated in... ^†	25 June 1982 - 11 November 1995	4,887
27	Michael Donald Kirby^†	6 February 1996 - 2 February 2009	4,745
28	Sir William Flood Webb	16 May 1946 - 16 May 1958	4,383
29	Lionel Keith Murphy Lionel Murphy Lionel Keith Murphy, QC was an Australian politician and jurist who served as Attorney-General in the government of Gough Whitlam and as a Justice of the High Court of Australia from 1975 until his death.- Personal life :...	10 February 1975 - 21 October 1986	4,271
30	Sir Wilfred Kelsham Fullagar Wilfred Fullagar Sir Wilfred Kelsham Fullagar, KBE, KC was a judge on the High Court of Australia.-Early Life and Studies:...	8 February 1950 - 9 July 1961	4,169
31	John Leslie Toohey^†	6 February 1987 - 2 February 1998	4,014
32	Sir William Francis Langer Owen	22 September 1961 - 31 March 1972	3,843
33	Sir Adrian Knox Adrian Knox Sir Adrian Knox KCMG, KC , Australian judge, was the second Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia, sitting on the bench of the High Court from 1919 to 1930.-Education:... *	18 October 1919 - 31 March 1930	3,817
34	Anthony Murray Gleeson Murray Gleeson Anthony Murray Gleeson AC QC is a former Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia, the highest court in the Australian court hierarchy.-Biography:Gleeson was born in Wingham, New South Wales, the eldest of four children... *^†	22 May 1998 - 29 August 2008	3,752
35	Sir Ninian Martin Stephen Ninian Stephen Sir Ninian Martin Stephen, is a retired politician and judge, who served as the 20th Governor-General of Australia and as a Justice in the High Court of Australia.-Early life:...	1 March 1972 - 11 May 1982	3,723
36	Sir Ronald Darling Wilson Ronald Wilson Sir Ronald Darling Wilson, AC, KBE, CMG, QC was a distinguished Australian lawyer, judge and social activist serving on the High Court of Australia between 1979 and 1989 and as the President of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission between 1990 and 1997.Wilson is probably best known as... ^†	21 May 1979 - 13 February 1989	3,556
37	Herbert Vere Evatt	19 December 1930 - 2 September 1940	3,545
38	Ian David Francis Callinan Ian Callinan Ian David Francis Callinan, AC, QC is a former Justice of the High Court of Australia, the highest court in the Australian court hierarchy.-Education:... ^†	3 February 1998 - 31 August 2007	3,496
39	Richard Edward O'Connor	5 October 1903 - 18 November 1912	3,332
40	John Dyson Heydon Dyson Heydon John Dyson Heydon AC QC is a Justice of the High Court of Australia; the highest court in the Australian court hierarchy.-Education:... ^†	1 February 2003 - present
41	Susan Maree Crennan Susan Crennan Susan Maree Crennan AC , is an Australian judge, a Justice of the High Court of Australia, the highest court in the Australian court hierarchy.-Biography:... ^†	1 November 2005 - present
42	Sir Keith Arthur Aickin Keith Aickin Sir Keith Arthur Aickin KBE QC , Australian judge, was a Justice of the High Court of Australia.Aickin was born in Melbourne in 1916, and was educated at Melbourne Grammar School. He also studied at the University of Melbourne, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Laws and later a Master of Laws...	20 September 1976 - 18 June 1982	2,097
43	Sir Kenneth Sydney Jacobs Kenneth Jacobs Sir Kenneth Sydney Jacobs KBE , Australian judge, was a Justice of the High Court of Australia.Jacobs was born in 1917 in Gordon, a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales...	8 February 1974 - 6 April 1979	1,883
44	Sir Cyril Ambrose Walsh Cyril Walsh Sir Cyril Ambrose Walsh KBE , Australian judge, was a Justice of the High Court of Australia.Walsh was born in Sydney, New South Wales, the son of Michael and Mary Walsh. He grew up in the western suburb of Werrington, where his father owned a dairy farm...	20 September 1969 - 29 November 1973	1,531
45	Susan Mary Kiefel Susan Kiefel Susan Mary Kiefel AC is a Justice of the High Court of Australia, the highest court in the Australian court hierarchy.- Early life and education :... ^†	4 September 2007 - present
46	Robert Shenton French Robert French Robert Shenton French, AC is Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia, the highest court in the Australian court hierarchy.... *^†	1 September 2008 - present
47	Virginia Margaret Bell Virginia Bell Virginia "Ding Dong" Bell is a topless model and actress. She started her career in the 1950s as a burlesque dancer.... ^†	3 February 2009 - present
48	Albert Bathurst Piddington Albert Piddington Albert Bathurst Piddington was the shortest serving Justice of the High Court of Australia, never actually sitting at the bench. Appointed on 6 March 1913, he resigned on 5 April after opponents questioned his independence.-Early life:Piddington was born in 1862 in Bathurst, New South Wales... ^	6 March 1913 - 5 April 1913	30

* Chief Justice

+ Terms as Puisne Justice

Puisne Justice

A Puisne Justice or Puisne Judge is the title for a regular member of a Court. This is distinguished from the head of the Court who is known as the Chief Justice or Chief Judge. The term is used almost exclusively in common law jurisdictions such as England, Australia, Kenya, Canada, Sri Lanka,...

and Chief Justice combined

† Justices to whom mandatory retirement (age 70) applied/applies; appointments since 1977

^ Albert Piddington received a commission but resigned it before ever serving on the Court

See also