Michael Rozenes
Encyclopedia
Michael Rozenes AO
QC
is the Chief Judge of the County Court
.
, graduating with a Bachelor of Jurisprudence in 1967 and a Bachelor of Laws
in 1969.
of the firm Galbally & O'Bryan and was admitted to the Supreme Courts of Victoria, New South Wales, Tasmania, Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia in 1971, and subsequently signed the Bar Roll in 1972.
From 1972 to 1976 he had a general criminal and common law practice and from 1977 to 1991 he practised exclusively in the criminal jurisdiction with a specialisation in complex taxation, corporate and appellant criminal cases. He appeared before numerous Royal Commissions, including the HIH Royal Commission, Builders’ Royal Commission and Melbourne Ambulance Service Royal Commission.
He was appointed a Queen's Counsel
in 1986. Over the course of his career at the Bar, Rozenes sat on the Victorian Bar Council, the Criminal Bar Association of Victoria Committee and the Victorian Bar Ethics Committee
In February 1992, he was appointed Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions, and his initial three year term was extended for a further two years.
In 1997 Rozenes returned to practice at the private Bar and from 1998 to 2001, was Chairman of the Criminal Bar Association of Victoria.
.
High Court
Court of Appeal – Supreme Court of Victoria
Junior in
Current Board Member, Monash Law Foundation.
Current Chairman, Victorian Electoral Boundaries Commission.
Current Convener, Life in the Law; a support group for law practitioners who are considering leaving the legal profession.
Former Council Member, The Australasian Institute of Judicial Administration Incorporated; Member, Project and Research Committee.
Former Board Member, Victorian Council of Legal Education.
Co-Chair, Australian Criminal Law National Liaison Committee, Law Council of Australia, 2002.
Member, Working Group on Criminal Trial Procedure, Standing Committee of Attorneys-General, 1999.
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
QC
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
is the Chief Judge of the County Court
County Court
A county court is a court based in or with a jurisdiction covering one or more counties, which are administrative divisions within a country, not to be confused with the medieval system of county courts held by the High Sheriff of each county.-England and Wales:County Court matters can be lodged...
.
Early life
Rozenes was born in Sosnowiec, Poland and migrated with his family to Australia when he was three years old. Rozenes was educated at the North Caulfield State school and then at Brighton Grammar School. At Brighton Grammar Rozenes represented the school in football, cricket and tennis and was an accomplished sprinter. He then attended Monash UniversityMonash University
Monash University is a public university based in Melbourne, Victoria. It was founded in 1958 and is the second oldest university in the state. Monash is a member of Australia's Group of Eight and the ASAIHL....
, graduating with a Bachelor of Jurisprudence in 1967 and a Bachelor of Laws
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
in 1969.
Professional life
After graduating from university, Rozenes then served articles with Mr Frank GalballyFrank Galbally
Francis Eugene 'Frank' Galbally CBE was an Australian criminal defence lawyer.Galbally initially trained to be a priest after he left school at the age of 16 but after the events of Pearl Harbor joined the Navy....
of the firm Galbally & O'Bryan and was admitted to the Supreme Courts of Victoria, New South Wales, Tasmania, Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia in 1971, and subsequently signed the Bar Roll in 1972.
From 1972 to 1976 he had a general criminal and common law practice and from 1977 to 1991 he practised exclusively in the criminal jurisdiction with a specialisation in complex taxation, corporate and appellant criminal cases. He appeared before numerous Royal Commissions, including the HIH Royal Commission, Builders’ Royal Commission and Melbourne Ambulance Service Royal Commission.
He was appointed a Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
in 1986. Over the course of his career at the Bar, Rozenes sat on the Victorian Bar Council, the Criminal Bar Association of Victoria Committee and the Victorian Bar Ethics Committee
In February 1992, he was appointed Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions, and his initial three year term was extended for a further two years.
In 1997 Rozenes returned to practice at the private Bar and from 1998 to 2001, was Chairman of the Criminal Bar Association of Victoria.
Judicial office
On 25 November 2002 Rozenes was appointed as the Chief Judge of the County CourtCounty Court
A county court is a court based in or with a jurisdiction covering one or more counties, which are administrative divisions within a country, not to be confused with the medieval system of county courts held by the High Sheriff of each county.-England and Wales:County Court matters can be lodged...
.
Honours
- Queen's CounselQueen's CounselQueen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
in and for the State of Victoria (1985) - Officer of the Order of Australia (2010) for "distinguished service to the judiciary, particularly as Chief Judge of the County Court of Victoria and the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions, and through contributions to law reform and legal education".
Notable Cases
Rozenes appeared as Counsel in the following reported cases:High Court
- Ridgeway v The Queen (1995) 78 A Crim R 307
- Cheatle v The Queen (1993) 177 CLR 541
- Dietrich v The Queen (1992) 177 CLR 292
- Commissioner of Australian Federal Police v Propend Finance Pty Limited (1997) 188 CLR 501
- Re Rozenes, Director of Public Prosecutions and Another; Ex parte Burd and Others (1994) 120 ALR 193
- Michaels v The Queen (1995) 184 CLR 117
Court of Appeal – Supreme Court of Victoria
- Rozenes and Anor v Kelly and Ords [1996] 1 VR 320
Junior in
- A v Hayden ("ASIS Case") (1984) 156 CLR 532 to G. Griffith QC
- Baker Plaintiff; and Campbell Defendant 153 CLR 52 to D M J Bennett QC
Board Memberships
Current Board Member, Judicial College of Victoria.Current Board Member, Monash Law Foundation.
Current Chairman, Victorian Electoral Boundaries Commission.
Current Convener, Life in the Law; a support group for law practitioners who are considering leaving the legal profession.
Former Council Member, The Australasian Institute of Judicial Administration Incorporated; Member, Project and Research Committee.
Former Board Member, Victorian Council of Legal Education.
Co-Chair, Australian Criminal Law National Liaison Committee, Law Council of Australia, 2002.
Member, Working Group on Criminal Trial Procedure, Standing Committee of Attorneys-General, 1999.