John Murtagh Macrossan AC (12 March 1930 – 5 August 2008) was a distinguished barrister, chancellor and judge in Queensland, Australia.

He was the 16th Chief Justice of Queensland and the third person from the Macrossan family to occupy that position.

[1] After high school, he went on to study at the University of Queensland where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts and a LLB.

[1] Whilst he was not the most senior judge at the time, Justices Kelly and Connolly were near retirement, and were happy for Macrossan's elevation.

[6] Macrossan was opposed to this course as a similar Court of Appeal set up in New South Wales led to many years of bitter feelings as judges' seniority was interfered with.

[6] In 1993 he was made a Companion in the Order of Australia (AC) in recognition of his services to law, education and the arts.

[6] He was president of the Queensland Art Gallery Society from 1978 to 1982 and was deputy chancellor of Griffith University from 1985.

[5] In 1997 he opposed the establishment of a Supreme Court in Cairns as he felt that there was a greater need in Brisbane for a new judge.

[7] At Macrossan's retirement ceremony, he said that courts "must always be open to new ideas but not be driven by every wind that blows"[7] and that the community expected stability from the judiciary.

[8] Macrossan's funeral was held at Our Lady of Help of Christians church[8] and he was buried in Nudgee Cemetery.