Supreme Court of N.S.W. for the District of Port Phillip

Full description

When the Port Phillip District was first established the highest legal tribunal was the Supreme Court of New South Wales. This meant that criminal cases and civil litigation of any importance had to be heard in New South Wales. The highest local court was the Court of Quarter Sessions. In 1841 a Resident Judge of the Supreme Court was appointed to Port Phillip and in 1852 following separation from New South Wales, the Legislative Council passed an Act to establish the Supreme Court of Victoria (VA 2549) which assumed responsibility for criminal and civil jurisdiction in Victoria.

From 1842 prime responsibility for the administration of insolvency proceedings rested with the Chief Commissioner for insolvent estates who was subject to the direction of the Residential Judge and subsequently the Supreme Court of Victoria.

Location of Records

See also List of Holdings, 1985 edition, 1994 reprint, section 2.1.0. (New South Wales Supreme Court for the District of Port Phillip).