Judge, District Court of New South Wales, Sydney
Judge Sophia Beckett is a Judge of the District Court of New South Wales and sits as the List Judge at Parramatta District Court. Prior to being appointed to the bench, she was the Deputy Senior Public Defender. She has had a distinguished legal career spanning more than 30 years across all criminal court jurisdictions, appearing in complex criminal trials, appeals, inquests and inquiries prior to her ascension to the bench.
After being admitted to practice in 1990, she moved to Dubbo to take up a role at the Western Aboriginal Legal Service (WALS). Since that time, she has lent her expertise in criminal law to the Attorney General’s Department advising on legislative reforms; later worked as a senior solicitor in the Indictable Appeals Unit at the Legal Aid Commission; spent a decade at the private bar at Forbes Chambers before being appointed a Public Defender; and in 2019 was elevated to the bench.
Judge Beckett was one of the founding members of the Bugmy Bar Book committee in 2018 and also involved in the NSW Bar’s Indigenous mentoring program.
Judge Beckett initiated the Parramatta West Referral List, working with Marrin Weejali Aboriginal Corporation and other First Nations organisations and therapeutic organisations in 2022 from Penrith District Court. The List now operates from Parramatta District Court and the Parramatta West Referral List and sits every 5 to 6 weeks.
Judge Sophia Beckett is a Judge of the District Court of New South Wales and sits as the List Judge at Parramatta District Court. Prior to being appointed to the bench, she was the Deputy Senior Public Defender. She has had a distinguished legal career spanning more than 30 years across all criminal court jurisdictions, appearing in complex criminal trials, appeals, inquests and inquiries prior to her ascension to the bench.
After being admitted to practice in 1990, she moved to Dubbo to take up a role at the Western Aboriginal Legal Service (WALS). Since that time, she has lent her expertise in criminal law to the Attorney General’s Department advising on legislative reforms; later worked as a senior solicitor in the Indictable Appeals Unit at the Legal Aid Commission; spent a decade at the private bar at Forbes Chambers before being appointed a Public Defender; and in 2019 was elevated to the bench.
Judge Beckett was one of the founding members of the Bugmy Bar Book committee in 2018 and also involved in the NSW Bar’s Indigenous mentoring program.
Judge Beckett initiated the Parramatta West Referral List, working with Marrin Weejali Aboriginal Corporation and other First Nations organisations and therapeutic organisations in 2022 from Penrith District Court. The List now operates from Parramatta District Court and the Parramatta West Referral List and sits every 5 to 6 weeks.