John David Phillips KC (born 1936) is an Australian lawyer and judge who served on the Supreme Court of Victoria from 1990 to 2004.
Whilst undertaking his articles, Phillips was the founding co-editor of the Melbourne University Law Review in 1957.
[1] The Review had developed from the earlier publications “Res Judicatae “ published by the Law School in Melbourne University and ‘A Magazine of Legal and General Literature’ by the then Articled Clerks' Society of Victoria.
After completing his articles, Phillips was admitted to practice as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of Victoria on 2 March 1959.
During his time as a solicitor, he worked as a judge's associate to Justice Douglas Menzies of the High Court of Australia.
Phillips read with Richard Newton of Eagle Star Chambers, who was to become a justice of the Supreme Court.
During this time, he served as the Bar's representative on the Supreme Court Rules Committee for two and a half years.
The term was apparently coined by the chamber's clerk to distinguish him from the other J Phillips who specialized in criminal law.
This committee was responsible for drafting and issuing rules relating to the procedure of the Supreme Court.
The court imposed a sixteen-year imprisonment with a minimum term of thirteen and a half years.
The appeal court concluded that the trial judge had properly exercised his discretion in not convicting the four men.
This may lead to a perception that acting judges will not make decisions that are not pleasing to government in fear of not being reappointed.
Phillips also referred to the previous Victorian government's decision not to allow that the court's chief administrator to be appointed by the governor.