In writing you write ‘Dear Shaw’. For a of the County What do I call the judge? When you are writing to members of and you use ‘Dear Judge Capuano’. And for a VCAT Grants you address them using a longer form that includes their member ‘Dear Member Nguyen’ is used. Publications Education position and surname. In some circumstances you also use This guide makes it easy to know what to call a judge, their title, such as ‘The Honourable’ or ‘His/Her Honour’. If you are part of a legal team, a witness or a or member of a when you are speaking Turn over for more information. or writing to them. It is important to remember that what party you should avoid speaking to the judge, you call them depends on the court or tribunal they are Envelopes and name tags magistrate or tribunal member except in the appointed to. It also depends on whether you are in court, For envelopes, and for name tags or similar things courtroom or tribunal. You should also avoid General outside court, at a social occasion or writing to them. for events, full titles are used. You also include any writing to them. honours the person holds after their surname. What do I call the judge? What do I call a retired judge? In court Her Honour Judge Blake AO In court if you are speaking to a member of a court or Many retired keep a title based on the position tribunal, or if they ask you questions, you address them as State Coroner they held on the court. When speaking to them, ‘Your Honour’. The only exception is VCAT where you use Coroners Court of Victoria as a courtesy you can use the title ‘Judge’. ‘Sir/Madam’ for some positions. Turn over the page for details. Address In writing When writing to retired judges, or making name tags for them, the titles you use depend on the court they sat on. InIn court, court, use use ‘Your ‘Your Honour’ Honour’ The Honourable Justice Matoulas of Victoria Federal judges Address Retired judges of the of Australia, Federal Court and Family Court of Australia keep the title If you are in a court or tribunal and called to address ‘The Honourable’ for life. For envelopes and name tags the judge or tribunal member, you should stand you use ‘The Honourable Katharine Brooke’. To begin when you are spoken to or when speaking to them. Scroll down for details for all the courts and tribunals. a letter, as a courtesy you use ‘Dear Justice Brooke’.

Outside court Beginning a letter State judges Generally, retired judges of the Supreme Court keep What you call members of courts and tribunals outside When you are beginning a letter to a member of a court ‘The Honourable’ as part of their formal title. So you use court will depend on the occasion. If you are unsure, or tribunal, use their position followed by their surname. ‘The Honourable Savitri Drake’ on envelopes or similar ‘Sir’, ‘Madam’ or ‘Judge’ are all acceptable. For example, for a judge of the Federal Court of Australia stationery. To begin a letter, as a courtesy you use Formal social occasions ‘Dear Justice Drake’. On formal social occasions a range of forms of address is used when speaking to members of courts and tribunals. When writing to retired judges of the County Court, For members of the Supreme Court of Victoria you use their you use ‘His Honour Michael Finch’. This can be position followed by their surname. For example, ‘Justice used for envelopes and name tags. To begin a letter, What do Brown’, compared to ‘Your Honour’ for a magistrate and as a courtesy you use ‘Dear Judge Finch’. ‘Judge’ for the State Coroner. More information on each I call the court is listed in the table on the back. Informal social occasions judge? On informal occasions, it can be difficult to know what Scroll down ... Speaking and writing the etiquette is when speaking to members of courts or For a summary of tribunals, so if you are unsure ‘Sir’ or ‘Madam’ or ‘Judge’ what to call a judge, to judges in Victoria are all acceptable. But ‘Judge’ is not generally used for and tribunal members. If you are in doubt magistrate or you can always ask them. tribunal member. What do I call the judge? Courts and tribunals In court Outside court Beginning a letter Addressing an envelope Supreme Court of Victoria Chief Justice Your Honour Chief Justice Dear Chief Justice The Honourable Chief Justice surname The Honourable Justice surname, President of the Court of Appeal Your Honour President surname Dear Justice surname President of the Court of Appeal Judge Your Honour Justice surname Dear Justice surname The Honourable Justice surname Associate Judge Your Honour Associate Justice surname Dear Associate Justice surname The Honourable Associate Justice surname County Court of Victoria Chief Judge Your Honour Chief Judge Dear Chief Judge His/Her Honour Chief Judge surname Judge Your Honour Judge surname Dear Judge surname His/Her Honour Judge surname Magistrates’ Court of Victoria Chief Magistrate Your Honour Chief Magistrate Dear Chief Magistrate His/Her Honour Chief Magistrate surname Magistrate Your Honour Your Honour Dear Magistrate surname His/Her Honour Magistrate surname Children’s Court of Victoria Your Honour Judge Dear Judge surname His/Her Honour Judge surname, President President of the Children’s Court of Victoria

STATE Magistrate Your Honour Your Honour Dear Magistrate surname His/Her Honour Magistrate surname

Coroners Court of Victoria Accurate at November 2013 His/Her Honour Judge surname, State Coroner Your Honour Judge Dear Judge surname State Coroner © Victoria Foundation, 2013 ISBN 978 1 876 04501 2 Deputy State Coroner Your Honour Your Honour Dear Deputy State Coroner Deputy State Coroner surname PUB11-16 Coroner Your Honour Your Honour Dear Coroner surname Coroner surname This publication was developed in conjunction with the Federal Court of VCAT Australia, Family Court of Australia, Federal Circuit Court of Australia, Supreme Court of Victoria, County Court of Victoria, Magistrates’ Court President Your Honour Justice surname Dear Justice surname The Honourable Justice surname, of Victoria, Coroners Court of Victoria, VCAT, the Victorian and President of VCAT David Thomson. Vice-President His/Her Honour Judge surname, Your Honour Judge surname Dear Judge surname Vice-President of VCAT Robert Hyslop’s Dear You: A Guide to Forms of Address (AGPS Press, 1991) was a useful reference. Deputy President Sir or Madam Deputy President surname Dear Deputy President surname Deputy President surname Pictured on the cover: The Honourable Chief Justice Marilyn Warren AC, Senior Member Sir or Madam Senior Member surname Dear Senior Member surname Senior Member surname Supreme Court of Victoria. Photograph © Eddie Jim/Fairfax Syndication Member Sir or Madam Member surname Dear Member surname Member surname and courtesy of the Honourable Chief Justice Marilyn Warren AC. Inside photographs: courtesy of the Judicial College of Victoria and the High Court of Australia Supreme Court of Victoria. Chief Justice Your Honour Chief Justice Dear Chief Justice The Honourable Chief Justice surname This publication is a guide only.

Justice Your Honour Justice surname Dear Justice surname The Honourable Justice surname Victoria Law Foundation helps Victorians Federal Court of Australia understand the law and their legal system. We are a not-for-profit organisation funded by Chief Justice Your Honour Chief Justice Dear Chief Justice The Honourable Chief Justice surname the Legal Services Board Public Purpose Fund. Judge Your Honour Judge Dear Justice surname The Honourable Justice surname Victoria Law Foundation Family Court of Australia Level 5, 43 Hardware Lane Melbourne Vic 3000 Australia Chief Justice Your Honour Chief Justice Dear Chief Justice The Honourable Chief Justice surname FEDERAL T 03 9604 8100 F 03 9602 2449 Judge Your Honour Justice surname Dear Justice surname The Honourable Justice surname [email protected] Federal Circuit Court of Australia facebook.com/VicLawFoundn Chief Judge Your Honour Chief Judge Dear Chief Judge surname His/Her Honour Chief Judge surname @VicLawFoundn See our website at Judge Your Honour Judge Dear Judge surname His/Her Honour Judge surname www.victorialawfoundation.org.au