There was consensus - often rare in legal circles - of the seismic change already facing the ACT Magistrates Court at yesterday's ceremonial sitting for the new top magistrate.
But newly appointed Chief Magistrate Lorraine Walker wasted no time in establishing herself as an agent of change, using her address to highlight other potential reforms.
The territory's first female Chief Magistrate - sitting alongside three female colleagues - spoke of the possibility of merging the territory's courts.
''Having reached the point that we are currently at by virtue of reactive adaptation, utilising historical forms and structures, it is an opportune time to reflect what form of court system best reflects our size and the nature of this particular jurisdiction,'' she said.
''Whilst we're developing a new IT system, and a new physical structure for our courts, no doubt consideration will be given - and I don't claim ownership of this idea as a new concept - to a single court for the ACT.''
The mother-of-four reiterated her support for early intervention for defendants coming from broken homes or battling substance abuse and mental health problems.
''It is the loss of [family] support, or the emergence from a family made dysfunctional by drug or alcohol abuse, by violence or poverty, by mental illness or social isolation, which [makes up] a large proportion of the need for these courts to exist,'' she said.
The newly crowned chief flagged a desire to consolidate services for vulnerable defendants at the territory's co-located halls of justice.
And she also pushed for the restorative justice system - which puts young offenders face to face with their victims - to be expanded to adult criminals.
Ms Walker was announced as Justice John Burns's successor in October after his elevation to the Supreme Court bench.
Her appointment came after just 18 months as a magistrate, and preempted a time of great upheaval in the territory's justice system. Magistrates are now learning to cope with a vastly expanded civil jurisdiction as well as new criminal responsibilities and more bail matters.
Both Law Society president Noor Blumer and Bar Association president Philip Walker (no relation) yesterday spoke of the expanded role of magistrates.
But both they and Attorney- General Simon Corbell expressed faith in Ms Walker's ability to do the job.
Mr Corbell said, ''While these changes expand the potential scope of the work of this court, I am confident that it is well placed under your leadership to fulfil these new responsibilities.''
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