Hon Marshall Irwin

Judge

Judge Marshall Irwin studied at Brisbane State High School from 1966 to 1970. As a student, he preferred academia to sports, noting that the only sport he played in his whole life was cricket in Year 11 and Year 12. He preferred studying the arts rather than the sciences, with his most memorable subject being Russian. At the time, the school also offered French, German and Italian as other language options but he considered Russian to be the most adventurous. However, his decision proved unfortunate, as he didn't pass Russian in his senior year. His ideal career, teaching, required an arts degree, which also required passing a language as a pre-requisite. Thus, he sought to study law instead.

During his law studies, Judge Irwin initially had no aspirations to work as judge, nor in criminal prosecutions. However, after obtaining a Christmas holiday job as a clerk in the Public Prosecutions Office, he applied for a full time job in criminal prosecutions and began his career there. Subsequently, Judge Irwin worked as a barrister, a crown prosecutor, deputy director of prosecutions, a legal adviser to the National Crime Authority, general counsel to the Criminal Justice Commission and a member of the oversight board of the National Crime Authority.

After taking a 6 month break across 2002 -2003, he was appointed as chief magistrate of Queensland, becoming the first chief magistrate to be appointed as a district court judge at the same time. He retired from his position as chief magistrate in 2008 and from his position as district court judge in 2014.

Judge Irwin has many noteworthy achievements from his time as chief magistrate. He advanced the Murri Court, which allowed for Indigenous elders to advise magistrates, providing alternative rehabilitation solutions and reducing incarceration. He helped to reform the approach to drug crimes, transforming outcomes from punishment to rehabilitation. Judge Irwin also instituted the special circumstances court to address issues of homelessness and mental illness so that people in difficult circumstances could receive treatment or assistance rather than punishment. Irwin also helped to extend the Magistrate's Court to the Torres Strait so that Torres Strait Islander people could  access the justice system more easily.

Judge Marshall Irwin has lived a remarkable judicial life, promoting justice for all.

Written by Jack Morrow*

*NB: This alumni profile was crafted by a State High student as part of the school's student/alumni interview project during the 2021 Centenary celebration.