Federal Magistrates will be branded as judges of a new Federal Circuit Court of Australia under court restructures announced by the Federal Government. The Law Society of NSW, the peak body representing NSW lawyers, has welcomed the changes. Law Society president Justin Dowd said that the plans acknowledge the important work Federal Magistrates do. Dowd said the Federal Magistrates Court has become a fundamental element of the federal civil justice system. “With over 60 Federal Magistrates sitting in every State and mainland Territory, the Federal Magistrates Court is now the largest federal court in Australia. This growth in size has coincided with an increase in both the breadth and complexity of matters dealt with by the Court. “The new name of the Court reflects the crucial role it plays in providing access to justice for rural and regional communities, and adoption of the appellation Judge for federal judicial officers recognises their important role and level of responsibility,” he said.