Kate McMillan

The Honourable Justice
Kate McMillan
AM
Judge of the Supreme Court of Victoria
Incumbent
Assumed office
14 March 2012
Personal details
BornMay 1953 (1953-05)
DiedDecember 2025(2025-12-00) (aged 72)
SpouseWill Summons
EducationRuyton Girls' School
University of Melbourne
OccupationJudge, lawyer

Cathryn Faye (Kate) McMillan (May 1953 – December 2025) was a judge in the Trial Division of the Supreme Court of Victoria. She formerly worked as a solicitor before becoming a barrister where she was appointed a Senior Counsel.

Early life and education

McMillan attended Ruyton Girls' School in Kew, Victoria where she was Vice Captain, Athletics Captain and a Boarding House Prefect. McMillan studied at the Melbourne Law School where she graduated with a Bachelor of Laws in 1974.

Career

McMillan did her articles with John Ball and was admitted as a solicitor in April 1976. Six months later she went to work at law firm Phillips, Fox & Masel. McMillan became a barrister in 1981 where she spent the majority of her legal career, being appointed Senior Counsel in 2000, practising primarily in commercial litigation. She was on the Bar Ethics Committee for 10 years and was the Chair of the Victorian Bar in 2005–6. McMillan represented, the former wife of Bob Jane in various proceedings following their separation.

Supreme Court

McMillan was appointed to the Supreme Court of Victoria on 14 March 2012, where she primarily heard matters in the Common Law Division and was the Judge in Charge of the Trusts, Equity and Probate List. On reaching the statutory age, McMillan retired on 31 January 2023. In 2013 McMillan was accused of doing her nails and reading a legal textbook while witnesses were giving evidence in a lengthy trial. McMillan refused an application that she recuse herself due to a reasonable apprehension of bias.

McMillan was posthumously appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in the 2026 King's Birthday Honours in recognition of her "significant service to the judiciary, to the law, and to the community".

Personal life

McMillan was the co-owner with her husband of an Angus beef farm at Kerrie, near Romsey.

References

  1. ↑ "Obituary—The Honourable Kate McMillan KC". Retrieved 9 June 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 "Welcome the Honourable Justice Kate Mcmillan". Archived from the original on 18 July 2014. Retrieved 4 October 2013.
  3. ↑ Clark, R (6 March 2012). "New appointment to the Supreme Court". Retrieved 22 December 2017.
  4. ↑ "The Hon Justice Kate McMillan". Ruyton Girls' School. Retrieved 21 December 2017.[permanent dead link]
  5. ↑ "Appointments". Melbourne Law School. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
  6. ↑ "Personalia: Justice Kate McMillan" (2015) 89 Australian Law Journal 631.
  7. ↑ "Tyre king 'punished' high-living wife". The Daily Telegraph. 21 May 2008. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
  8. ↑ Jane v Jane [2008] VSC 341 (5 September 2008), Supreme Court (Vic).
  9. ↑ Taree Pty Ltd v Bob Jane Corporation Pty Ltd [2008] VSC 228 (26 June 2008), Supreme Court (Vic).
  10. ↑ "Practice Note No. 6 of 2016 Trusts, Equity and Probate List" (PDF). Supreme Court of Victoria. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
  11. ↑ "Supreme Court Justice Kate McMillan rejects call to stand down in civil trial over manicure claim". Herald Sun. 28 September 2013. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
  12. ↑ AZ v The Age (No 2) [2013] VSC 436 (12 September 2013), Supreme Court (Vic).
  13. ↑ "The late Justice Kate McMillan". Australian Honours Search Facility. Retrieved 8 June 2026.