The Brief:
Justice Stephen Lemonis steps up to the WA Court of Appeal, with Judge Tania Jeyamohan and barrister Steven Wong SC appointed to the Supreme Court.
All three appointments took effect on 10 August.
Western Australia’s top courts have picked up three new judges.
Justice Stephen Lemonis has been appointed a Judge of the Court of Appeal, while Judge Tania Jeyamohan and barrister Steven Wong SC have been appointed Judges of the Supreme Court. All three started on 10 August.
Justice Stephen Lemonis steps up to the Court of Appeal after three years on the Supreme Court’s general division. Before that, he sat on the District Court bench from 2019 to 2023, mostly in criminal matters, and spent 17 years as a principal at boutique Perth firms across commercial litigation, white collar and corporate crime, regulatory investigations and insolvency. He brings 35+ years of legal experience to the role.
Judge Tania Jeyamohan moves up to the Supreme Court’s general division from the District Court, where she’s sat since last year. Her 25-year career spans private practice and the State Solicitor’s Office, with expertise in commercial litigation and arbitration, contracts, State Agreements, class actions and statutory interpretation. She previously served as Deputy State Solicitor for Public and General Litigation, and as a District Court Registrar from 2022 to 2024.
Steven Wong SC joins the Supreme Court after 17 years as an independent barrister, specialising in banking, corporations, regulatory law and equity. He’s acted for banks, insurers and resources companies in major commercial disputes and took silk last year. Before heading to the bar, he spent five years at Corrs Chambers Westgarth and a year as Associate to a Federal Court judge.
Justice Lemonis fills the vacancy left by Justice Hall, who resigned from the Court of Appeal to become Deputy Commissioner of the Corruption and Crime Commission. Judge Jeyamohan steps into the general division seat Justice Lemonis vacates.
Attorney General Dr Tony Buti said the trio will bolster the State’s judiciary at both the trial and appellate levels. “All three are highly experienced and respected legal practitioners who have worked on complex matters over their careers,” he said, adding Wong will “help the court continue to manage a substantial caseload” after his years at the bar.
Source: WA Government, Government House WA