The West Australian Attorney-General has congratulated a new District Court judge, as well as a new magistrate, both of whom are due to commence their new roles this month.
Tania Jeyamohan has been appointed as a judge of the District Court of Western Australia, and Justin Geoghegan has been appointed as a magistrate of the Magistrates Court of Western Australia.
Jeyamohan begins her new role on 18 August and fills the vacancy left by a former District Court judge’s appointment to the Supreme Court. Her 25-year legal career has included more than a decade across two periods serving in multiple roles at the State Solicitor’s Office (SSO). Prior to joining the SSO in 2013, Jeyamohan held senior roles in private practice as a litigation lawyer.
West Australian Attorney-General Dr Tony Buti congratulated Jeyamohan.
“Her extensive expertise spans the areas of public law, public interest disclosures and privilege issues, statutory interpretation, class actions, government contracts and state agreements. She became a key adviser at the SSO, overseeing and managing high-profile disputes, including appearing as counsel at mediation, expert determination, arbitration and litigation proceedings,” he said.
“Ms Jeyamohan is highly regarded in the legal profession, and her strong background in government and private sector litigation will be an asset to the District Court.”
Geoghegan fills the vacancy left by long-serving Magistrate Steven Malley – who leaves the court after serving as a magistrate for over 37 years – and commences this week (11 August). He was admitted to practice in 2010 and spent two periods with Legal Aid WA and was also previously a director and lawyer in private practice.
“I welcome Justin Geoghegan’s appointment to the Magistrates Court. During his time at Legal Aid and in private practice in the past 15 years, he appeared regularly in a number of courts and frequently worked with clients from culturally diverse backgrounds,” A-G Buti said.
“The significant experience Mr Geoghegan has gained in the criminal justice system will help him quickly make the transition to the judiciary and enable the court to manage a heavy workload.
“I also take this opportunity to thank Magistrate Steven Malley for his distinguished service and contribution to the administration of justice in this state for nearly four decades. He presided over a vast number of cases across his long career, which included difficult and high-profile cases.”
Lauren is a journalist at Lawyers Weekly and graduated with a Bachelor of Journalism from Macleay College. Prior to joining Lawyers Weekly, she worked as a trade journalist for media and travel industry publications and Travel Weekly. Originally born in England, Lauren enjoys trying new bars and restaurants, attending music festivals and travelling. She is also a keen snowboarder and pre-pandemic, spent a season living in a French ski resort.
