Well-known lawyer Evan Hughes has been named as one of two new Tasmanian Magistrates, who are set to take up their new roles in the coming weeks.
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Mr Hughes will come into a newly created role, in which he will move between the Devonport and Launceston courts throughout the week.
"As somebody who can work out of both registries, I can help manage and assist the backlog of work that's arisen out of both of those areas, carrying lists and assist in moving through the court's work," he said.
Graduating from the University of Tasmania's Hobart Law School, Mr Hughes took his first job at the Crown Solicitor's Office focusing on commercial law before moving into family and criminal law at the Legal Aid Commission.
After moving to Launceston in 2002 to work in the city's Office of Legal Aid, Mr Hughes eventually took up a role with Rae & Partners, where he undertook some of the state's most notable cases. Readers may be familiar with Mr Hughes' work in the infamous Natalie Maher trial last year. Speaking to his experiences, Mr Hughes noted his involvement in the double-murder Rusterholz trial in 2015 as particularly formative.
"That was quite challenging and I learnt a lot from that in the process [...] There's also been some large civil matters including some on the North-West coast, and I've drawn a lot of experience from those as well."
Turning to his new role, Mr Hughes said he thought patience was a vital part of any good magistrate.
"The role requires a great deal of patience, and being respectful when dealing with persons who have difficult backgrounds to help give them access to justice," he said.
"Being able to manage all that is a very important part of the role so that people can receive a fair hearing in a structured, well-managed and respectful way."
Mt Hughes will take on the role from July 11.
In more court news, the state government has unveiled a new Going to Court video series aimed at vulnerable Tasmanians who may have difficulty understanding the requirements and processes at the Magistrates court.
The series is a collaboration between the Department of Justice and other external organisations and aims to explain the court process as simply as possible to give viewers an overview of what to expect.
The videos are available on the Tasmanian Magistrates Court website.
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