Ill health forces first female South Australia chief magistrate Elizabeth Bolton to resign after eight years

SOUTH Australia’s first female chief magistrate has announced her resignation after eight years in the post because of ill health.

SOUTH Australia’s first female chief magistrate has announced her resignation after eight years in the post.

Chief Magistrate Elizabeth Bolton told colleagues on Thursday morning that she was stepping down from the bench because of ill health.

A former Commonwealth prosecutor, Ms Bolton was appointed as the state’s first chief magistrate, replacing Kelvyn Prescott in February 2007.

District Court Chief Judge Geoffrey Muecke confirmed Ms Bolton would finish her role on October 9.

“I am sad to inform you that the Chief Magistrate will be resigning from her position as Chief Magistrate and as a magistrate and a judge of this Court,” he said.

“Her decision has been brought about because of her ill-health which is ongoing.

“Her service to her Court, to the Council of the Courts Administration Authority and to the administration of justice is acknowledged with gratitude.

“We all wish her well.”

Ms Bolton, 64, came to the post at a time when there was friction between the state’s magistrates over various workplace governance issues.

She was appointed as a magistrate in December 1999 and was regional manager of Christies Beach Magistrates Court before winning the chief magistrate’s role.

In 2006, eight magistrates formed a breakaway group from the Magistrates Association and named themselves the College of Magistrates after a dispute with Mr Prescott.

The dispute centred around Mr Prescott’s dismantling of a system in which magistrates were elected as regional managers of suburban courts by their colleagues.

The State Government launched a national search for a new chief magistrate before appointing Ms Bolton.

She has been suffering ill health in recent months and a spokeswoman for the Courts Administration Authority confirmed Ms Bolton had announced her resignation.