South Australian Supreme Court

Supreme Court of South Australia
Arms of the Supreme Court of South Australia
Established	2 January 1837
Country	South Australia,  Australia
Location	Adelaide
Coordinates	34°55′49″S 138°35′58″E / 34.930405°S 138.599496°E / -34.930405; 138.599496Coordinates: 34°55′49″S 138°35′58″E / 34.930405°S 138.599496°E / -34.930405; 138.599496
Decisions are appealed to	High Court of Australia
Judge term length	mandatory retirement by age of 70
No. of positions	13
Website	Supreme Court of South Australia
Chief Justice of South Australia
Currently	Chris Kourakis
Since	25 June 2012

The Supreme Court of South Australia is the superior court of the Australian state of South Australia. The Supreme Court is the highest South Australian court in the Australian court hierarchy. It has unlimited jurisdiction within the state in civil matters, and hears the most serious criminal matters. The Court is composed of a Chief Justice and as many other judges (called justices) as may be required.

The Court was established by Letters Patent on 2 January 1837, five days after the colony was founded. The Court is unique among Australia's state supreme courts in that it was established at the foundation of the colony of South Australia, as the notion of a supreme court was a part of the colony's founder, Edward Wakefield's theory of colonisation. Other Australian colonies only established their courts long after the settlement of the colony.

The Court was endowed with all the common law and probate jurisdiction of the courts of Westminster. The first sessions of the Court were not held until May 1837, presided over by Sir John Jeffcott, the first judge of the court. (The title of Chief Justice was not officially introduced until the coming into force of Act No 31 of 1855-1856.)

After Sir John's death in December 1837, Henry Jickling was appointed as an acting judge. Although appointed as a caretaker judge, Jickling was responsible for two important developments: he codified the testamentary causes jurisdiction of the court and admitted the first practitioners of the Supreme Court in March 1838.

Justice Jeffcott's permanent replacement on the Court was Sir Charles Cooper. Reports of ill health prompted Governor Henry Young to ask for the appointment of a second judge. As a result Justice Crawford was appointed. Justice Crawford was the first justice to wear a wig in court. Crawford died after only two years on the bench.