Blog
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New Magistrates for Downing Centre Local Court
There are a number of new Magistrates in the Downing Centre Local Court this year.Magistrate Reiss has come from Ryde Local Court. He is an extremely thorough and careful Magistrate. He is frequently in the Commonwealth Court 5.5 replacing Magistrate O'Shane.
Magistrate Milledge is from Waverley. She is fantastic. Very just and fair, especially towards those who are genuinely remorseful for criminal offences. She replaces Magistrate Barkell who had primarily been presiding over defended hearings.
And of course, there are Magistrates Buscombe, Stevenson and Favretto – a great new mix for 2013.
By Ugur Nedim
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History of the Downing Centre
The Downing Centre was originally built as a department store in 1908 for Mark Foy's.
Mark Foy's was taken over by Grace Brothers in 1980 who traded in the Centre until 1983.
The building was then converted into a court complex which opened in 1985.
It was named the 'Downing Centre' in 1991 after former Attorney General and Minister for Justice Reg Grundy.
The Centre contains 7 levels of courtrooms, the Local Courts on levels 4 & 5 and the District Courts from lower ground to level 3.
It is NSW's central court complex and sits the Chief Judge of the NSW District Court Reg Blanch and Chief Magistrate of the NSW Local Court Graeme Henson.
By Ugur Nedim