Supreme Court Justice Sarah Huggett has been appointed as the next Chief Judge of the NSW District Court. She is the first woman to hold the role.
Justice Huggett has presided over many complex and high-profile cases throughout her career, including the carnal knowledge trial of convicted murderer Chris Dawson.
She was appointed to the Supreme Court of NSW in 2023. Over her career, she has had a strong focus on improving the experiences of women, children and Indigenous people who come into contact with the legal system.
NSW Attorney-General Michael Daley said he was “delighted” to appoint Justice Huggett to the role of Chief Judge of the NSW District Court.
“She makes history by becoming the first woman Chief Judge and she is richly deserving of that honour,” Daley said.
“NSW is set to gain a new Chief Judge with great breadth and depth of experience in criminal law.
“Justice Huggett is well respected by both her peers and the community and I congratulate her warmly on her new role.”
Justice Huggett was appointed as a Crown prosector in 2001, and was sworn in as a District Court judge in 2012. She served as the Court’s representative on the Consent Monitoring and Advisory Group Meeting and Chair of the Child Sexual Offence Evidence Program Steering Committee.
She was also the Director of Public Prosecution’s sole instructing solicitor in the prosecution of serial killer Ivan Milat. She was also a judge on the District Court’s Walama List, which trialled alternative sentencing procedures aimed to reduce the incarceration and reoffending of First Nations people.
Justice Huggett has delivered a number of lengthy prison sentences in cases of sexual offences against women and children, including setting prison terms of more than 40 years for two men, who – in separate cases – committed violent sexual offences against their daughters.