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FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA ACT 1976 - SECT 25

Exercise of appellate jurisdiction

  (1)   The appellate jurisdiction of the Court shall, subject to this section and to the provisions of any other Act, be exercised by a Full Court.

  (1AA)   The appellate jurisdiction of the Court in relation to an appeal from a judgment of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division   2) is to be exercised by:

  (a)   a single Judge; or

  (b)   if a Judge considers that it is appropriate for the appellate jurisdiction of the Court in relation to the appeal to be exercised by a Full Court--a Full Court.

  (1B)   Subsection   (1AA) has effect subject to subsections   (2) and (2B).

  (2)   Applications:

  (a)   for leave or special leave to appeal to the Court; or

  (b)   for an extension of time within which to institute an appeal to the Court; or

  (c)   for leave to amend the grounds of an appeal to the Court; or

  (d)   to stay an order of a Full Court;

must be heard and determined by a single Judge unless:

  (e)   a Judge directs that the application be heard and determined by a Full Court; or

  (f)   the application is made in a proceeding that has already been assigned to a Full Court and the Full Court considers it is appropriate for it to hear and determine the application.

  (2A)   The Rules of Court may make provision enabling applications of the kind mentioned in subsection   (2) to be dealt with, subject to conditions prescribed by the Rules, without an oral hearing either with or without the consent of the parties.

  (2B)   A single Judge (sitting in Chambers or in open court) or a Full Court may:

  (a)   join or remove a party to an appeal to the Court; or

  (aa)   give summary judgment; or

  (ab)   make an interlocutory order pending, or after, the determination of an appeal to the Court; or

  (b)   make an order by consent disposing of an appeal to the Court (including an order for costs); or

  (ba)   make an order that an appeal to the Court be dismissed for want of prosecution; or

  (bb)   make an order that an appeal to the Court be dismissed for:

  (i)   failure to comply with a direction of the Court; or

  (ii)   failure of the appellant to attend a hearing relating to the appeal; or

  (bc)   vary or set aside an order under paragraph   (ab), (ba) or (bb); or

  (bd)   give directions under subsection   37P(2); or

  (c)   give other directions about the conduct of an appeal to the Court, including directions about:

  (i)   the use of written submissions; and

  (ii)   limiting the time for oral argument.

  (2BA)   In subsection   (2B), a reference to an appeal includes a reference to an application of the kind mentioned in subsection   (2).

  (2BB)   An application for the exercise of a power mentioned in subsection   (2B) must be heard and determined by a single Judge unless:

  (a)   a Judge directs that the application be heard and determined by a Full Court; or

  (b)   the application is made in a proceeding that has already been assigned to a Full Court and the Full Court considers it is appropriate for it to hear and determine the application.

  (2C)   The Rules of Court may make provision enabling matters of the kind mentioned in subsection   (2B) to be dealt with, subject to conditions prescribed by the Rules, without an oral hearing either with or without the consent of the parties.

  (3)   Except where the Chief Justice considers it impracticable for the Court to be so constituted, a Full Court of the Court for the exercise of jurisdiction in an appeal from a judgment of the Supreme Court of a Territory shall include at least one Judge who holds office as a Judge of the Supreme Court of that Territory.

  (4)   The jurisdiction of the Court in an appeal from a judgment of the Supreme Court of a Territory constituted by 2 or more Judges shall be exercised by a Full Court of the Court constituted by not less than 5 Judges.

  (5)   Subject to any other Act, the jurisdiction of the Court in an appeal from a judgment of a Court of summary jurisdiction is to be exercised by:

  (a)   a single Judge; or

  (b)   if a Judge considers that it is appropriate for the jurisdiction of the Court in relation to the appeal to be exercised by a Full Court--a Full Court.

  (6)   The Court constituted by a single Judge may state any case or reserve any question concerning a matter (whether or not an appeal would lie from a judgment of the Judge to a Full Court of the Court on the matter) for the consideration of a Full Court and the Full Court has jurisdiction to hear and determine the case or question.


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