Chief Justice of Tasmania
| Chief Justice of Supreme Court of Tasmania | |
|---|---|
_(St_Edwards_Crown).svg) Royal Arms used by the Supreme Court of Tasmania | |
| Supreme Court of Tasmania | |
| Style | Chief Justice (informal) Your Honour (within court) The Honorable (formal, if sworn of the Tasmanian Executive Council) |
| Status | Chief justice |
| Member of | Judiciary of the State of Tasmania |
| Seat | Tasmanian Supreme Court Building, Hobart |
| Nominator | Attorney-General of Tasmania |
| Appointer | The Governor of Tasmania with Executive Council and Cabinet deliberation |
| Term length | None Mandatory retirement at 75 years of age |
| Constituting instrument | The Supreme Court Act 1887 |
| Formation | 1887 |
The chief justice of the Supreme Court of Tasmania is the senior judge of the Supreme Court of Tasmania, and the highest ranking judicial officer in the Australian state of Tasmania. The chief justice is both the judicial head of the Supreme Court as well as the administrative head, responsible for arranging the business of the court and establishing its rules and procedures. The current chief justice is Chris Shanahan, whose appointment was announced in 2024 by the Tasmanian Attorney-General. Justice Shanahan, who succeeded Alan Blow, who had been Chief Justice since 2013, assumed office on 20 January 2025.
Due to an age limit changed at the request of Chief Justice Blow, the incumbent chief justice must retire upon reaching the age of 75.
The chief justice also holds the role of lieutenant governor of Tasmania.
List of chief justices of Tasmania
[edit]| Name | Term as Chief Justice |
|---|---|
| Sir John Pedder | 4 March 1824 – 4 May 1854 |
| Sir Valentine Fleming | 7 August 1854 – 31 December 1869 |
| Sir Francis Smith | 8 August 1870 – 7 February 1885 |
| Sir William Lambert Dobson | 7 February 1885 – 17 March 1898 |
| Sir John Stokell Dodds | 29 October 1898 – 26 June 1914 |
| Sir Herbert Nicholls | 1 July 1914 – 31 October 1937 |
| Sir Harold Crisp | 21 December 1937 – 14 April 1940 |
| Sir John Morris | 15 April 1940 – 3 July 1956 |
| Sir Stanley Burbury | 28 August 1956 – 29 October 1973 |
| Sir Guy Green | 30 October 1973 – 1 September 1995 |
| William Cox | 4 September 1995 – 1 December 2004 |
| Peter Underwood | 2 December 2004 – 28 March 2008 |
| Ewan Crawford | 24 April 2008 – 7 April 2013 |
| Alan Blow | 8 April 2013 – present |