Stuart Morris
Encyclopedia
Stuart Morris QC
is an Australia
n lawyer. He served as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria
and as President of VCAT
from 2003 until 2007. Former Chairman of the Victorian Government's Local Government Commission, 1986 under the Cain Government. Stuart Morris worked as a barrister, and was one of Australia's leading lawyers in planning law. He was appointed a Queen's Counsel
in 1991.
He is credited with having driven major improvements at VCAT
. However, the position of VCAT President typically attracts criticism from some local municipalities unhappy with planning decisions.
He presided over some of the most famous cases to come before Australian courts in recent years, including the guardianship of the body of Maria Korp
, granting access to Victorian Government legal advice to Heather Osland, and was the first Victorian judge to order planning authorities to take into account greenhouse pollution before extending coal mining licences.
He surprised many in the legal profession by resigning four years into his five year term as President of VCAT. He has now returned to practice as a barrister at the Victorian Bar.
Morris holds a Bachelor of Laws
and a Bachelor of Economics from Monash University
. He was educated at Wesley College, Melbourne
.
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 an Australia
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 lawyer. He served as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria
Supreme Court of Victoria
The Supreme Court of Victoria is the superior court for the State of Victoria, Australia. It was founded in 1852, and is a superior court of common law and equity, with unlimited jurisdiction within the state...
and as President of VCAT
VCAT
Volontaire Civil à lAide Technique is a voluntary service in the French overseas territories for citizens from France, citizens of other EU member states or citizens of countries belonging to the European Economic Area.-External links:*...
from 2003 until 2007. Former Chairman of the Victorian Government's Local Government Commission, 1986 under the Cain Government. Stuart Morris worked as a barrister, and was one of Australia's leading lawyers in planning law. 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 1991.
He is credited with having driven major improvements at VCAT
VCAT
Volontaire Civil à lAide Technique is a voluntary service in the French overseas territories for citizens from France, citizens of other EU member states or citizens of countries belonging to the European Economic Area.-External links:*...
. However, the position of VCAT President typically attracts criticism from some local municipalities unhappy with planning decisions.
He presided over some of the most famous cases to come before Australian courts in recent years, including the guardianship of the body of Maria Korp
Maria Korp
Maria Korp was an Australian woman reported missing for four days and later found, barely alive, in the boot of her car on 13 February 2005. She spent a short time in a coma before emerging into a state of post coma unresponsiveness. She became the centre of a controversy in Australia during 2005...
, granting access to Victorian Government legal advice to Heather Osland, and was the first Victorian judge to order planning authorities to take into account greenhouse pollution before extending coal mining licences.
He surprised many in the legal profession by resigning four years into his five year term as President of VCAT. He has now returned to practice as a barrister at the Victorian Bar.
Morris holds 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...
and a Bachelor of Economics from Monash University
Monash 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....
. He was educated at Wesley College, Melbourne
Wesley College, Melbourne
Wesley College, Melbourne is an independent, co-educational, Christian day school in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Established in 1866, the college is a school of the Uniting Church in Australia. Wesley is the largest school in Australia by enrolment, with 3,511 students and 564 full-time staff...
.