Magistrates Court adds Stephen Kissick, Nicholas Brown, Rhianna Lee
The Queensland government has announced the following appointments: Dearne Firth and Glen Cranny as District Court judges in February, as well as Stephen Kissick and Nicholas Brown as Southport magistrates and Rhianna Lee as a Mount Isa magistrate in January.
In a media statement, Deb Frecklington – Queensland’s attorney-general, minister for justice, and minister for integrity – congratulated the new judges and magistrates on their appointments.
“Queensland is fortunate to have a vast wealth of legal talent to draw from for its judicial ranks and these new appointments are a fine example of that,” Frecklington said. “Each appointee is a distinguished, highly skilled practitioner, and together their skills and knowledge will strengthen Queensland’s judiciary.”
“Each appointee brings distinguished experience and exceptional legal expertise to the bench, and we look forward to their contributions to the administration of justice in Queensland,” added Genevieve Dee, the Queensland Law Society (QLS) president, in a separate media statement.
The attorney-general’s media statement included more information on the new appointees’ professional experience.
Firth will also assume responsibilities as deputy president of the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) once Judge Geraldine Dann completes her term in February.
She became a judge of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia in 2021 after over a decade at the Queensland bar.
A nationally accredited mediator and arbitrator, she has garnered knowledge and experience in family law, child protection, domestic violence, regulatory prosecutions, and criminal law.
As a criminal defence lawyer, Cranny has focused on criminal law for three decades. His experience covers white collar crime, sexual and violent offences, and corporate and regulatory investigations.
He has served on and chaired criminal law committees at the QLS, which awarded him the President’s Medal for his commitment to access to justice, law reform, and community service.
The QLS congratulated Cranny on his judicial appointment. Genevieve Dee, QLS president, described it as a tremendous achievement.
“Glen is highly respected across Queensland’s legal profession,” Dee said in the law society’s media statement. “His decades of service on QLS policy committees and working groups reflect his commitment to advancing good law in our state.”
Kissick has experience as a criminal law practitioner at the private bar. His work has spanned multiple jurisdictions and over 500 jury trials. He has briefed as a panel member for Queensland’s Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. He worked as a police prosecutor for a decade.
Also experienced in criminal law, Brown has appeared in wide-ranging complex matters involving sexual offences, large-scale drug trafficking, and domestic and family violence. He earned admission to the bar in 2018. As a solicitor, he advocated for clients before various courts.
Lee has sat as an acting magistrate in Townsville, Mount Isa, and in circuit courts in North West Queensland beginning in May 2024. Before her appointment, she served as principal lawyer of Townsville Legal Aid Queensland. She gained admission in 2010.
“I am also pleased to be continuing to deliver on the Crisafulli Government’s commitment to ensure faster access to justice, by boosting the capacity of our courts,” Frecklington said in the media statement. “An additionally funded District Court and Supreme Court judge will have a big impact on those courts, allowing victims’ cases to be heard sooner.”
Newly announced funding from the Mid-Year Fiscal and Economic Review (MYFER) included a $2.4m annual investment to finance two new judges, as well as support staff, for the Supreme and District Courts.
