Adrian Roden

Brief description

PER-56

Full description

Adrian Isaacs Roden was born on 29 January 1926, the son of H. Roden. He was educated at Sydney Boys High School (1938-1942) and the University of Sydney (LLB 1947, Dip.Crim 1972). He was active in student organisations at the University, as Law representative on the Sydney University Students Representative Council from 1946 to 1948 and as editor of 'Honi Soit' in 1948. (1)

Roden was called to the New South Wales Bar on 19 August 1949 and practised from 167 Phillip Street. In 1950 he went to Africa. He was Assistant Custodian of Enemy Property, Tanganyika (now Tanzania), in 1950 and conducted private practice there from 1950 to 1965. In addition he was an Advocate of the High Court of Tanganyika from 1950 to 1965 and a member of the Legislative Council of Tanganyika in 1958. He returned to private practice in New South Wales from 1966 till 1977, practising out of 225 Macquarie Street. Made a Queen's Counsel in 1974, he had wide experience and knowledge of criminal law and criminal procedure. (2)

Roden was made a Judge of the New South Wales District Court on 1 February 1977. On 4 December 1978 he resigned to take up a position as Judge of the New South Wales Supreme Court. He worked primarily in the Criminal Jurisdiction and presided at the 'Milperra Massacre' trial. When a feud between the Commancheros motorcycle gang and the breakaway Bandidos erupted into violence on 2 September 1984 at Milperra, seven people died including a 14 year old girl. On 12 June 1987 nine gang members were found guilty of murder and 21 of manslaughter. Roden resigned from the Supreme Court on 1 April 1989. From 1981 to 1987 he was also a part-time Commissioner of the New South Wales Law Reform Commission. After his retirement, Roden was appointed an Acting Judge of the New South Wales District Court from 27 May 1993 to 26 May 1994. (3)

On 1 April 1989, Roden was appointed an Assistant Commissioner of the New South Wales Independent Commission Against Corruption. He held the position until 31 July 1992. During this period he authored two reports: Report on North Coast Land Development (1990) and Report on Unauthorised Release of Government Information (1992). (4)

Roden has a long interest in debating. He was captain of the Combined Australian University Debating Team in 1948 when they debated New Zealand. He was president of the New South Wales Debating Union from 1968 to 1975 and of the Australian Debating Federation from 1975 to 1978. He is a Life Member of the Australian Debating Federation. From 1989 to 1991, he was a director of the City of Sydney Cultural Council, the organising company that manages the Sydney Eisteddfod, also known as the Performing Arts Challenge. (5)

He was Chairman of the Criminal Law Committee of the Sydney University Graduates Association from 1976 to 1981 and a Councillor of the Australian Academy of Forensic Sciences from 1982 to 1984. (6)

On 8 April 1950, Roden married Eve nee Fox. She died in on 11 March 2006. (7)

Endnotes
1. Who's Who in Australia, Melbourne, Herald and Weekly Times Ltd, 1977, p.922; 1980, p.719; 1983, pp.736-7; 1985, p.732; 1990, pp.1017-8; 1994, pp.1279-80; 1997, p.1367; 2008, p.1819; HJH Henchman, A Court Rises: the lives and times of the judges of the District Court of New South Wales. Supplement No.1. 1959-1982, Judge 111, Syd., Law Foundation of New South Wales, 1982, n.p.; 'Judges', Sydney Boys High School, http://www.sydneyboyshigh.com/documents/SHSJudges0705.pdf (cited 4 August 2008); 'Alumni Sidneienses - University Archives - The University of Sydney', http://www.bull.usyd.edu.au/as/FMPro (cited 12 September 2008); University of Sydney Calender, 1943-1947 Exam Results, pp. 23, 89, 162, 258, 376; 1952 Supplement, p.375 http://calendararchive.usyd.edu.au/index.php (cited 27 May and 19 June 2008).
2. Barrister and Solicitors Admission Boards; NRS 13665, Roll of Barristers, 29 July 1955 - 28 July 1972; Reel 2147, p.29; New South Wales Law Almanac, Sydney, NSW Government Printer, 1950, p.63; 1967, p.100; Australian Law Journal, Vol.53, p.107 (February 1979).
3. HJH Henchman, op.cit.; New South Wales Law Reports, Sydney, Law Book Company Ltd, 1978, Vol.1, p.xvii; Vol.17, 1989, p.ix; Vol.32, 1993, p.x; Australian Law Journal, Vol.63, p.712 (October 1989); '1980s' http://www.abc.net.au/archives/timeline/1980s.htm (cited 12 September 2008); Who's Who in Australia, op.cit.; New South Wales Law Almanac for 1983, Sydney, NSW Government Printer, 1983, p.54.
4. Independent Commission Against Corruption, Annual Report, 1989, pp.10, 18-19; 1992, pp.6-7, 1993, p.38, http://www.icac.nsw.gov.au/go/publications-and-resources/icac-annual-reports (cited 16 September 2008).
5. Who's Who in Australia, op.cit..
6. ibid.
7. ibid; Sydney Morning Herald, 13 March 2006, p.24.

Notes

Judge, District Court of New South Wales, 01/02/1977 - 03/12/1978
Judge, Supreme Court of New South Wales, 04/12/1978 - 01/04/1989
Commissioner, New South Wales Law Reform Commission, 1981 - 87
Assistant Commissioner, New South Wales Independent Commission Against Corruption, 01/04/1989 - 31/07/1992
Acting Judge, District Court of New South Wales, 17/05/1993 - 26/05/1994