FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA ACT 1976 - SECT 14 Manner in which Court may be constituted
FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA ACT 1976 - SECT 14
Manner in which Court may be constituted(1) For the purposes of the exercise of the jurisdiction of the Court, the Court may be constituted by a single Judge or as a Full Court.
(2) A Full Court consists of 3 or more Judges sitting together or, to the extent permitted by subsection (3), of 2 Judges sitting together.
(3) Where, after a Full Court (including a Full Court constituted in accordance with this subsection) has commenced the hearing, or further hearing, of a proceeding and before the proceeding has been determined, one of the Judges constituting the Full Court dies, resigns his or her office or otherwise becomes unable to continue as a member of the Full Court for the purposes of the proceeding, then the hearing and determination, or the determination, of the proceeding may be completed by a Full Court constituted by the remaining Judges, if at least 3 Judges remain or, if the remaining Judges are 2 in number and the parties consent, by a Full Court constituted by the remaining Judges.
(4) In the application of subsection (3) in relation to an appeal from a judgment of the Supreme Court of a Territory constituted by 2 or more Judges, the reference in that subsection to 3 Judges shall be read as a reference to 5 Judges and the reference in that subsection to Judges who are 2 in number shall be read as a reference to Judges who are 4 in number.
(5) A Full Court constituted in accordance with subsection (3) or (4) may have regard to any evidence given or received, and arguments adduced, by or before the Full Court as previously constituted.
(6) The Court constituted by one or more Judges may sit and
exercise the jurisdiction of the Court notwithstanding that the Court
constituted by one or more other Judges is at the same time sitting and
exercising the jurisdiction of the Court.