Year 11 Legal Studies students had a rare opportunity to go behind the scenes of the Supreme Court of Victoria last week when they joined in a live video stream with the Honourable Justice Tinney.
Justice Tinney (who asked to be called Andy) took students on a tour from his chambers to Court number two of the Supreme Court where he showed them the view from the bench, the bar table and the jurors’ box, before taking them into the jurors’ deliberation room.
He spoke about an average day in the life of a Supreme Court Justice, that for him incudes walking his dog, catching the train to work, and even buying a sausage roll from the Queen Victoria Market.
“Judges are just normal people with the experience and understanding to do the job,” he said.
Justice Tinney spoke about his pathway into Law that began when he failed a HSC subject and didn’t get into Medicine. Instead he studied Science before eventually transferring into a Law degree at Monash University.
Justice Tinney put the students at ease with his warmth and humour and they jumped at the opportunity to ask questions like: What are the most difficult cases to preside over? How did you cope with five years of university? How does being a judge affect your normal life outside of work? and How do you handle the stress of the job?
“Every day I come to work is fun,” Justice Tinney said, surprising many of the students. “Employment can be fun if you find a job that really interests and motivates you.”
The students also head from Christina, Martin and Kerry at the Communications and Engagement Team of the Supreme Court of Victoria.
Christina told the students about the experience of being in court for the Rebel Wilson defamation case; a case they will be studying in more detail this term.
