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John Newton

Level 2, Building 4, Faculty of Law, Bond University

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Professional biography

Retired Judge John Elwell Newton

John Newton holds the degrees of Bachelor of Arts (Major in Government) awarded by the University of Queensland.  He also holds a Bachelor of Laws and Master of Laws, both awarded by the University of Queensland.

John commenced his legal career as a Clerk to the office of the Crown Solicitor and Solicitor-General for the State of Queensland (1970-1972).  He was a Legal Officer (Prosecutions), Solicitor-General’s Office, Brisbane, 1972-1973 and Crown Prosecutor, Brisbane, 1973-1974.

John has been Legal Adviser to the Norfolk Island Administration, Canberra, ACT, 1974-1976 and a Senior Legal Officer (Research), Australian Institute of Criminology, Canberra, 1976-1978.

He was a Senior Lecturer in Law (Criminal Law, Criminology, Evidence), School of Law, Queensland Institute of Technology, Brisbane, from 1978 to 1982. He was then in private Practice, as Barrister-at-Law, in Inns of Court, Brisbane, from 1982 to 1991.

John was appointed to the District Court, Queensland as a judge in 1991 and held this position until his retirement from the Bench in 2013. He was also a Judge, Planning and Environment Court, Queensland, 1993-2013 and Judge of the Children’s Court, Queensland, 1995-2013.

Other appointments :

  • Member, Student Assistance Review Tribunal (Commonwealth), Brisbane, 1985-1988
  • Chairman, Brisbane Regional Community Corrections Board, Brisbane, 1988-1989
  • Deputy President, Queensland Community Corrections Board, Brisbane, 1990-1991
  • Member, Law Advisory Board, Bond University, Robina, 2009-present.

John has been actively involved in the Bond University GDLP program since 2016, where he has given presentations on legal ethics and etiquette, as well as being actively involved in the Lawyers Skills related to advocacy.

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