County Court of Victoria appoints 4 new judges

In a statement, the County Court said it warmly welcomes the four new judges, noting the valuable contribution they are expected to make to the court’s work.

Judge Falla’s appointment marks a historic milestone for the Victorian judiciary, as she becomes the first Aboriginal person to be appointed a judge of the County Court of Victoria.

She has served as a Victorian magistrate since January 2013, and in 2020 was appointed the inaugural supervising magistrate for Koori Justice, overseeing statewide Koori courts, Koori family violence matters, and Koori Victims of Crime Assistance Tribunal (VOCAT) proceedings as part of broader self-determination reforms.

Judge Hartnett also brings extensive experience from the Magistrates Court, where she has served since 2018 and most recently held the role of regional coordinating magistrate at the Melbourne Magistrates Court.

In that role, she oversaw complex criminal listings, including major trials and intensive case management streams.

Prior to her judicial appointment, she developed a broad criminal practice at the Victorian Bar after signing the bar roll in 2003, appearing in complex trials and criminal matters across multiple jurisdictions.

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Judge Matthews joins the court after a distinguished career at the Victorian Bar, where he was appointed senior counsel in 2024 and built an extensive practice spanning criminal and civil law, with appearances in the county and supreme courts as well as before the Court of Appeal and High Court.

He has also appeared in judicial review proceedings and regulatory matters across the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) and other tribunals.

Early in his career, he worked as a legal researcher at the County Court between 1995 and 1998, assisting in the development of the first edition of the Victorian Criminal Trial Manual.

Judge Wilson joins the bench from VCAT, where she has served as a senior member since 2024 and as a sessional member since 2021.

During her time at the tribunal, she presided over matters involving civil claims, building disputes, owners corporations, human rights, and regulatory reviews.

Her career has also included senior legal roles, including general counsel at the Victorian government Solicitor’s Office and special counsel in government law at Mallesons Stephen Jaques.