The Honourable Justice Catherine Muir was appointed as a judge of the District Court of Queensland, the Children’s Court of Queensland and the Planning and Environment Court of Queensland on 14 November 2016.

On 11 April 2023, her Honour was appointed as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Queensland in the Trial Division.

Justice Muir’s life did not necessarily go to plan. She really wanted to be a foreign correspondent. But things don’t always happen as one might first hope.

Her Honour grew up in regional Queensland, mainly in Cairns. She has a vivid recollection of wearing a sarong and thongs to her first day of university in Brisbane. Contrary to what some might think, Justice Muir did not “love the law” in those days. Indeed, after being admitted as a solicitor she purchased a one-way plane ticket and left for London to get away from the law. Instead, she tried to write while working as waitress, nanny, and tennis coach before fluking a job as a chalet girl in France (despite having never seen snow). She travelled extensively for over three years, somewhat to her parents’ lament.

Coming home – and needing to feed herself – her Honour returned to the law and much to her surprise (and her parents’ joy) she found a real passion and desire to practise as a lawyer. Her Honour worked as a solicitor for about five years, including three years in criminal defence at the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service. She was then called to the Bar in January 2001 and was a barrister in private practice for 16 years leading up to her appointment to the court.

When not working, her Honour is a wife and mother. Her special talents are that she can juggle (literally) and guess songs within a few bars.