Chansey Paech appoints NT Local Court judges Julie Franz and Anthony Hopkins

One judge makes the transition from an acting to full time position while the other will travel from the ACT where he served as a special magistrate and acting Supreme Court Justice.

Julie Franz has been appointed as a Local Court judge. Picture: (A)manda Parkinson

Attorney-General and Justice Minister Chansey Paech has announced the appointment of two new judges to the benches of the Northern Territory’s Local Court.

Julie Franz makes the transition from an acting to full time position while Anthony Hopkins will travel from the ACT where he served as a special magistrate and acting Supreme Court Justice.

Ms Franz has called the Territory home since 1996 and established a private law firm in 2013, serving as partner and company director with Darwin Family Law until January this year.

Her extensive legal experience includes criminal law, property forfeiture, family law and dispute resolution, welfare representation and domestic and personal violence law.

Mr Hopkins returns to the NT after beginning his legal career at the NT Legal Aid Commission and working for the former Central Australian Aboriginal Legal Service before joining the ACT bar in 2010.

Attorney-General Chansey Paech said the new judges had invaluable qualities in the delivery of fair and equitable justice outcomes. Picture: Jason Walls

Since starting as a special magistrate in 2021, Mr Hopkins has convened the Galambany Court, which takes a restorative justice approach for Indigenous defendants through “circle sentencing”.

Mr Paech said the two legal eagles would “bring a wealth of legal experience and expertise to our justice system”.

“They are well acquainted with the Northern Territory’s vast geographical expanse and demographic uniqueness – qualities that will be invaluable in the delivery of fair and equitable justice outcomes,” he said.

“I welcome judges Hopkins and Franz to the Local Court of the Northern Territory with full confidence in their ability to serve Territorians with distinction.”