David Malcolm

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David Kingsley Malcolm QC, AC (born Bunbury, Western Australia, 6 May 1938) is an Australian lawyer and was Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Western Australia from 1988 until 7 February 2006.

Malcolm was educated at Guildford Grammar School in Perth and was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship in 1960. Prior to serving as Chief Justice, Malcolm was a deputy counsel for the Asian Development Bank and one of Western Australia's most prominent Queen's Counsel. He regularly appeared before the Privy Council. He was appointed Chief Justice of the Supreme Court on the retirement of the widely respected Francis Burt. In 1990 he also became Lieutenant-Governor of the state.

Malcolm earned great respect during his time as Chief Justice, and received great acclaim from the legal profession on his retirement on 7 February 2006. However, during his final year on the bench he came under increasing pressure, mainly in the media, for perceived failings on the bench. Several of his decisions were overturned by the Court of Appeal and he aborted a murder trial after he misdirected the jury. [1]

At his farewell, the Attorney-General, Jim McGinty, commented on the landmark judgement that Malcolm had handed down in the appeal of John Button, a high profile case in which a manslaughter conviction was quashed over 30 years after the event.

On 4 April, it was announced that Wayne Martin would replace Malcolm as Chief Justice. On 8 February, Malcolm became Professor of Law at the University of Notre Dame Australia, Fremantle. He continues to serve as Lieutenant-Governor of Western Australia, and remains involved in a number of projects.

Preceded by Sir Francis Burt

Chief Justice of Western Australia 1988-2006

Succeeded by Wayne Martin