AFTER two decades on the bench, Judge Roy Ellis walked into Newcastle District Court last week to a surprising sight.
Waiting for him in courtroom 5.1 were more prosecutors, defence barristers and solicitors than His Honour would normally expect to see for his usual Thursday callover, arraignment and case management list.
Instead, the legal practitioners present had gathered to recognise the 20th anniversary of Judge Ellis being sworn in as a NSW District Court judge and pay tribute to a judicial officer who for two decades has maintained a "calm, analytical and respectful" approach to his work.
Judge Ellis was appointed a judge in August, 2003 and sat at Parramatta and Gosford District Courts before moving to Newcastle in 2015.
During his time in Newcastle, Judge Ellis has presided over hundreds of trials, appeals and sentences and determined some of the city's most high profile cases, including the sentences for serial rapist Andrew Benn and schoolgirl kidnapper Brett Hill and the appeal for former Catholic Archbishop of Adelaide Philip Wilson.
Speaking on behalf of Newcastle barristers, Public Defender Peter Krisenthal said from the outset, Judge Ellis had established himself as a hard working and compassionate judge "who had a keen understanding of the frailties of human nature".
"Many times have I heard Your Honour tell the story of the promise you made to yourself when you were appointed that you would be pleasant and respectful to all who appear before you," Mr Krisenthal said before a packed courtroom. "That you weren't going to be a tyrannical judge. "You have been unfailingly true to that promise over the last 20 years and that is a great credit to you. People enjoy appearing before you and I can say that that doesn't necessarily apply to all your brother and sister judges."
Mr Krisenthal said what stood out in Judge Ellis's career was his attitude to his work and how he approached each matter the same.
"Calm, respectful and analytical," Mr Krisenthal said. "It's almost as if it's your first matter as a judge. "Twenty years of hearing people's disastrous backgrounds, reading psychiatric reports and dealing with the remnants of the things that people do to each other doesn't seem to have jaded you nor worn you down at all which is and should be recognised as an enormous compliment to you."
Solicitor Gary Fox, the President of the Newcastle Law Society, said Judge Ellis was respected by both prosecution and defence because of his courtesy, patience and sharp legal mind.
"Your Honour is the epitome of an Australian judge; diligent, competent, and a person of the highest integrity," Mr Fox said.
And speaking on behalf of Crown prosecutors and solicitors, Crown prosecutor Kristy Mulley said the environment Judge Ellis had cultivated in Newcastle had made all those who appear before him better advocates.
Judge Ellis said he was "surprised" by the ceremony, thanked those who had attended and spoken and said he had no plans to retire anytime soon.
