Federal Circuit and Family Court Chief Justice Will Alstergren, 63, has confirmed he is in a consensual relationship with a fellow judge, believed to be Justice Amanda Mansini, 41. The announcement comes after the chief justice separated from his wife almost six months ago.
The court issued a statement saying that senior judges were informed and 'appropriate steps have been in place since then to avoid any concerns of conflict of interest, such as administrative decisions.' The chief justice will not sit on appeals from decisions made by the judge.
The relationship has prompted a reshuffle in court operations to ensure the pair do not sit on each other's appeals or serve on the same appeal benches. The chief justice called for his family's privacy to be respected during this 'painful and challenging time.'
Justice Mansini, appointed in 2022, previously served as deputy president of the Fair Work Commission. She has been a public advocate for the court's therapy dog program, which she helped introduce after being inspired by a similar initiative in the United States.
Chief Justice Alstergren, a former competitive bobsledder and barrister, has led the court since 2017 and became Chief Justice of the Family Court in 2018. The two courts merged in 2021, making him head of Australia's largest court.
