Myth #2: use of the gavel
Thursday September 24, 2009

Myth #2: use of the gavel

Thursday, September 24, 2009

I have been asked many times over the years about whether the judge will use a gavel. Actually, most of the time I’m not asked about gavels, but about the judge’s hammer, because this is after all what the gavel is: the stamp of the judge’s authority.
Well the best answer is probably the easiest. Someone, somewhere may use gavels in the courtroom in Australia. At best their use is rare. It’s just that in almost 25 years of going to various courts including the High Court, Family Court in Brisbane, Townsville and Sydney, I have never seen the gavel in court, let alone being used there.
Stephen Page, Harrington Family Lawyers, Brisbane spage@harringtonfamilylawyers.com 61(7) 3221 9544
Request an Appointment
Fill in the form below to find out if you have a claim.
Request an Appointment - Stephen Page
Things to Read, Watch & Listen
ACT Surrogacy Law Changes: Landmark LGBTQ+ Parentage Win

A Landmark Win for LGBTQ+ Families in Australia!

A recent decision of the ACT Supreme Court confirmed that changes to the Parentage Act 2004 (ACT) enacted in 2024 can reach back to recognise certain surrogacy arrangements made before the law changed. The ruling allowed a gay couple to be declared the legal parents of a child born via a traditional surrogate who lived… Read More »A Landmark Win for LGBTQ+ Families in Australia!

What really happens inside the world's largest ethical surrogacy conference

What really happens inside the world’s largest ethical surrogacy conference?

When reproductive law meets lived experience, the conversation shifts from theory to practice. At the Society for Ethical Egg Donation and Surrogacy (SEEDS) conference in Orange County, California, nearly 400 professionals came together to do exactly that: talk candidly about how to make surrogacy and egg donation safer, fairer and ethically robust. The gathering offered… Read More »What really happens inside the world’s largest ethical surrogacy conference?

US Surrogacy Agency Collapse 2025: Protect Your Dreams & Money

Another US Surrogacy Agency Has Collapsed – Are Your Dreams at Risk?

A recent collapse of a United States surrogacy agency has again exposed a harsh reality for intended parents: the path to building a family through surrogacy is vulnerable to fraud, mismanagement and sudden collapse. Hundreds of people are reported to be affected, with life savings wiped out, records shredded and law enforcement stepping in. This… Read More »Another US Surrogacy Agency Has Collapsed – Are Your Dreams at Risk?

Family Law Section Law Council of Australia Award
Member of Queensland law society
Family law Practitioners Association
International Academy of Family Lawyers - IAFL
Mediator Standards Board