Shane Marshall, a long-serving acting judge of the Supreme Court of Tasmania, has died.
The Supreme Court paid tribute to Marshall, saying he would be remembered for “the deep concern for people and their lives that he brought to the legal process and judicial office”.
Marshall served as a judge of the Federal Court of Australia and the Industrial Relations Court of Australia for more than 20 years before joining the Tasmanian Supreme Court as an acting judge in January 2017.
He held both part-time and full-time roles in Tasmania until late 2025, a period of around nine years.
His final term concluded on September 30 2025, following a six-month reappointment extension granted to help address the state’s court case backlogs.
“Throughout his judicial career, Shane was known for his commitment to fairness, humanity and social justice,” the court said.
In 1995, Marshall became the first Monash University graduate appointed to a federal superior court.
He was the third youngest person appointed to the Federal Court of Australia and the youngest appointed to the Industrial Relations Court of Australia.
Marshall also served as a judge of the Supreme Court of Nauru for refugee appeals from 2017 to 2021 and as a deputy chairperson of the Victorian Racing Tribunal from 2019 to 2024.
He was invested as a Member of the Order of Australia in June 2020 for services to industrial relations, the law, the judiciary and mental health.
Marshall was a vocal advocate for mental health awareness, particularly around depression and its effects on the legal profession.
He was an inaugural director and ambassador for the Wellbeing and the Law Foundation and spoke at forums including law societies, bar associations and events with Beyond Blue.
Earlier this week, Attorney-General Guy Barnett announced Paul Slattery KC had been appointed as a full-time acting judge of the Supreme Court, serving until June 30 2027.
Before his judicial career, Marshall practised at the Victorian Bar mainly in industrial and employment law.
He was the first person in his family on both sides to pass Year 10 educational level and went on to earn a Bachelor of Economics and Bachelor of Laws with honours from Monash University.
The court extended its condolences to Marshall’s wife Lyn and daughters Kate and Amy.
“He leaves behind an important legacy of service to the law, the justice system and, in particular, to the Tasmanian community,” the court said.
