Sally Brown interviewed by Ruth Campbell in the Law in Australian society oral history project.

1995

59156

Brown, Sally.

Lawyers -- Australia.

Women judges -- Australia.

Sociological jurisprudence.

Hon Justice Sally Brown, Justice of the Family Court of Australia speaks of her family background and childhood, her interest in reading and music, church involvement, choice of career and time at University, part-time jobs, Rob Hamilton, her marriage, early career, Pat Kennedy, the value of knowing the system in which you work, lecturing in law at Footscray Institute of Technology and RMIT, period as a barrister, support (or lack of it) given to women lawyers, Tramways Board, being a criminal lawyer, Magistrates Court 1978-85, appointed as the first female judge at the Victorian Magistrates Court (along with Margaret Rizkalla), the value of women in the magistracy, ethics of maintaining your distance, Chief Magistracy of Victoria, computerisation of the Courts, experiment of the Night Court, important qualities for a magistrate and Chief Magistrate, Chair of the Institute of Criminology, Family Court, issue of gender bias, continuing education of judges (esp. in social issues) workings of the court, areas of relaxation (travel, spending time with her parents, cooking, music, reading).

Access open for research; written permission required for personal copies and public use during the lifetime of the interviewee.

Recorded on Dec. 13th & 18th, 1995 at the Family Court in Melbourne, Vic.

DCM record; National Library of Australia, Oral History and Folklore collection; nla.oh-3385-0000

Brown has been in the forefront of women advancing in the judiciary, was one of the first female magistrates in Victoria and Chief Magistrate 1990-1993. She is now a Justice of the Family Court of Australia and is also a member of a number of Boards, incl. Chair of the Australian Institute of Criminology.

Oral History Collection.

4 sound discs : digital.