Christopher Kahler announced as Townsville’s new, third District Court judge
The number of district court judges in Townsville will permanently jump to three when a former Cairns lawyer steps into one of the most criticised jobs in town.
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The number of district court judges in Townsville will permanently jump to three on May 5, when former Cairns lawyer Chris Kahler steps into one of the most criticised jobs in town.
Currently, the Townsville Courthouse only has two permanent district court judges: Gregory Lynham and John Coker.Lynham and Coker are sometimes assisted by a “fly-in, fly-out” visiting judge to help with the workload.
But on Wednesday, Queensland Attorney-General Deb Frecklington revealed Mr Kahler would join the ranks in the Townsville District Court.
“We’ve seen a real delay through the court systems with people waiting for their matters to be heard,” Ms Frecklington said.
“With another district court judge, those matters will be able to flow through the court quicker.”
Townsville’s legal fraternity have been calling for a third judge since 2022 - which is how many the city had in the ‘80s and ‘90s.
A third Townsville judge was a major election promise from the LNP.
There are currently 43 district court judges working in Queensland - one in Beenleigh, one in Rockhampton, two in Townsville, two in Maroochydore, three in Cairns, three in Ipswich, four in Southport (Gold Coast), and 27 in Brisbane.
The appointment of a third Townsville judge is being funded by the $21.5m Faster Justice Plan.
Thuringowa MP Natalie Marr said her, Janelle Poole and Adam Baillie all specifically requested the new judge be a North Queenslander.
“We need someone who has lived through what we’ve lived through,” Ms Marr said.
The appointment of a third judge comes on the back of an announcement in February that the Townsville Courthouse was being expanded to include two extra courtrooms.
Who is Chris Kahler?
Describing himself as a fourth-generation North Queenslander, Mr Kahler is a former Trinity Anglican School student from Innisfail, graduating in 1997.
In 2004 he graduated James Cook University with a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Arts and in 2005 he was admitted as a legal practitioner to the Supreme Court of Queensland, and to the High Court of Australia in 2006.
For 11 years Mr Kahler worked across Cairns and Innisfail in the private legal space across civil and criminal matters.
In 2015, Mr Kahler established his own legal practice in Cairns - Kahler Lawyers.
Mr Kahler says his firm is the “town agency of choice” for many interstate, overseas and non-local lawyers - meaning if a lawyer can’t appear in person, they contract Kahler Lawyers to appear for them.
Attorney-General Deb Frecklington said Mr Kahler is “recognised as a leader” in the legal profession.
“I know this appointment is very warmly welcomed by the existing judges who we will be working closely with,” Ms Frecklington said.
Mr Kahler has also played five seasons of rugby with the Innisfail Vikings, is currently an honorary adviser to the Bishop of North Queensland, was the president of Warrina Aged Care Innisfail from 2018 to 2022, a Queensland Law Society councillor, and was the Anglican Diocese of North Queensland’s acting chancellor in 2024.
Being an Anglican Church’s chancellor is a popular position among Townsville judges - Judge John Coker and Judge Gregory Lynham have both served in this position.
A ‘chancellor’ is an adviser to the Bishop on legal matters, and is a role traditionally held by esteemed judges and barristers.
Originally published as Christopher Kahler announced as Townsville’s new, third District Court judge
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