Meryl Sexton

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Judge Meryl Sexton (Born June 3, 1960) is a Judge of the County Court in Victoria, Australia, appointed in August 2001.

Contents 1 Early life 2 Professional career 3 Other activities 4 References

[edit] Early life

Sexton graduated from Monash University with a Bachelor of Law and Bachelor of Economics.^[1] She completed her articles at law firm Cody Dwyer & Associates and was admitted to practice law in 1984. Upon going to the Bar, her master was future County Court Judge Fred Davey.

[edit] Professional career

Sexton specialised in criminal matters from 1985.^[2] She appeared for both prosecution and defence before being appointed Crown Prosecutor in 1995, and prosecuted several high-profile and complex cases.

She was appointed as a Judge of the County Court in 2001, and from October 2005 has been the Judge in charge of the Sex Offences List. Among her most noted cases are those of a priest who sexually assaulted children^[3], an attack on West Indian cricketer Marlon Black^[4], a trial following the largest ever hashish seizure in Victoria ^[5] and a man who committed a rape on his buck's night.^[6]

Sexton is heavily involved in legislative reform, particularly relating to sexual offences. She is a member of the Victorian Government's Sexual Assault Advisory Committee and was a member of the Victorian Law Reform Commission's Sexual Offences Reference Advisory committee.^[7]

Sexton is also involved in legal education and has produced many articles and papers relating to sexual offences, particularly on those relating to changes to relevant legislation. In particular, "Changes to the Mental Element of Rape Twilight",^[8] "Propensity in Sexual Assault Cases"^[9] and an overview of The Crimes (Sexual Offences) Act 2006^[10] are essential reading for practitioners.

[edit] Other activities

Sexton is an enthusiastic amateur actress, and stars as the judge in "We, The Jury", a video shown to those reporting for jury duty as an introduction to court processes. In a previous version, prior to her appointment as a judge, she played the Crown prosecutor.

She was the first female to be made a life member of the Monash University hockey club^[11].

Sexton has also been involved in women's issues, as a member of the Equality Before the Law Committee and the Women Barristers Association, trustee of the Queen Victoria Women's Centre Trust, and President of the Victorian Division of the Australian Federation of Business and Professional Women.

[edit] References