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Officers of the Court

Chief Executive Officer

The Chief Executive Officer is responsible to the Chief Justice and the President of the Court of Appeal for the day to day administration of the Court. He is the senior officer of the Court and is responsible for the general oversight of all non-judicial staff.

The portfolios falling directly under the supervision of the Chief Executive Officer are strategic and business planning; human resource management; financial management; information technology; and management of works and services (including the Court's five buildings).

Principal Registrar

The Principal Registrar is responsible for the administration of the Supreme Court Registry; the secure custody and safekeeping of Court records; collecting and accounting for all fees received by the Court; and all aspects of proceedings and appeals coming within the jurisdiction.

Prothonotary

The Prothonotary has statutory and quasi-judicial obligations and responsibilities, for example conducting pre trial conferences and dealing with applications to waive Court fees. The Prothonotary is available to assist with after hours calls for urgent applications.

Registrar of Probates

The Registrar of Probates is responsible for the processing of all common form Grants of Representation of deceased estates in Victoria. He is also responsible for the secure custody of all testamentary records and wills deposited with him for safekeeping. In addition the Registrar of Probates provides assistance to applicants who wish to obtain probate or administration in small estate matters provided the gross value of the estate does not exceed the statutory limit. Contact the Probate Registry to determine the current statutory limit and whether an application should be lodged at Melbourne or a local Magistrates' Court.

Self Represented Litigant Coordinator

The Self Represented Litigant Coordinator provides procedural guidance and assistance to litigants in person wishing to commence proceedings on their own behalf or appearing before the Court.

Juries Commissioner

The Office of the Juries Commissioner is responsible for the efficient management and administration of the jury system in Victoria. Office functions include: the issue of questionnaires and summonses to prospective jurors; the administration and co-ordination of jury empanelments; the development of policies and procedures to improve jury services and educating the community about the jury system.

Office Manager, Senior Master's (Funds in Court) Office

The Manager is responsible for the day to day administration of the Office, and for the implementation of investment decisions. In general terms, the Funds in Court Office manages and invests money which has been paid into Court. The main source of that money is from Court proceedings where an award of damages or compensation is made to a person under disability. A person is under disability when he or she is a minor or, if aged over 18 years, is unable to manage his or her own affairs. The money held on behalf of a beneficiary is to provide for his or her future care and is paid out accordingly.

Judicial Employees

Associates

An Associate is an officer of the Court who assists the Judge or Master by whom he or she is employed. Many Associates are legally qualified or hold qualifications in other disciplines. The duties of Judges' Associates will differ in some respects to those performed by Masters' Associates because of the differences in the work performed by Judges and Masters. However, there are certain duties that all Associates may be called upon to perform depending on the jurisdiction in which their Judge or Master sits and the type of case to be heard.

The principal functions of an Associate are to prepare and maintain paperwork connected with the performance of the Judge or Master of his or her functions; to schedule and co-ordinate interlocutory hearings and in the case of Judges' Associates, to liaise with the Listing Master regarding trial dates; to sit in Court with the Judge or Master and to liaise with other sections of the Court, the profession and the public. Masters' Associates have to perform some of the duties undertaken by Tipstaves, while Judges' Associates may need to perform such duties in the absence of the Tipstaff. Associates work closely with the Judge or Master as Personal Assistant and Researcher.

Associates are essentially assistants to the Judges and Masters of the Supreme Court.

Although individual roles may vary, especially depending on which area the Associate's Judge sits, in general Associates have ultimate responsibility for:

• Listing matters for trial
• Informing the parties of the details of a trial or interlocutory proceeding
• Taking notes of what takes place during a trial or interlocutory proceeding
• Assisting in the empanelment of juries in a jury trial
• Noting down orders made by the Judge or Master
• The organisation and eventual return of exhibits tendered in Court
• Research and editing of judgments
• Being an intermediary and a point of contact between the Judge and the public (solicitors, barristers, the press and individual members of the public)

There are a number of things an Associate cannot do:

• Give legal advice to a practitioner or a member of the public. (This may create an apprehension of bias if an Associate helps one party at the expense of another.)
• Give an indication of the outcome of a judgment which has not yet been released to the parties or the public. (This would be highly unfair to the parties involve in the dispute, and would be a serious breach of confidence on the part of the Associate.)
• Comment on an order or a decision of her or his Judge or Master. (It is entirely inappropriate to call an Associate to complain about an order or decision of the Judge or Master.)

Tipstaves

The primary duty of the Tipstaff is to act as a personal and confidential attendant to the Judge to whom he or she is appointed and to carry out tasks in accordance with the Judge's directions. Masters do not have Tipstaves. Generally the duties of the Tipstaff involve two areas - Court work and Chambers work. In Court, Tipstaves have key duties concerning witnesses and jurors and in Chambers they maintain the Judge's library and attend to a range of other needs.

The position of Tipstaff in the Courts of law has its origin in the 14th century. The official of those times was responsible for apprehending persons who had defied the Orders of the Court and subsequently delivering them into custody. These duties required travel throughout the countryside.

Court Administration Organisational Chart