Geoffrey Muecke, an experienced retired judge from Australia has been appointed to the Bench of the Supreme Court of Nauru.
His appointment and oath taking ceremony took place on Tuesday March 13 before the Acting President of Nauru Hon David Adeang M.P. who is also the country's Minister for Justice.
Under the Nauruan constitution, appointments of judges of the Supreme Court are made by the President.
Also present at the ceremony were the Chief Justice of Nauru Justice Filimone Jitoko, as well as the Registrar of the Supreme Court Mr Ronald Prakash.
His Honour’s commission is to preside over the trial of various persons charged with alleged offences related to a violent demonstration at the country’s Parliament in June 2015.
Justice Muecke was admitted to legal practice in 1970 and appointed a judge of the District Court of South Australia in 1999. He was appointed Chief Judge of that court in July 2013.
Judge Muecke joined the bench in 1999, aged 52.
He graduated from the University of Adelaide and was admitted to practice in 1970, becoming a barrister in 1982.
He acted in the Royal Commissions investigating the State Bank collapse and South Australia's prison system, and assisted the Tasmanian solicitor-general during an inquiry into that state's Constitutional Act.
Justice Muecke has served as a judge of the Environment, Resources and Development Court, and was appointed as the presiding member of the Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee.
His Honour, who had been a judge for 19 years, retired from the bench in December 2016.
He is married with three adult children.
A government spokesman, in welcoming Justice Muecke’s appointment said: “His Honour is a highly respected and experienced judge. His credentials and reputation are impeccable”.
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