As a child growing up in the bush, Jane Campbell "rolled out" of a station wagon.
Naturally, most youngsters would burst into tears after such an experience.
But not the ACT's newest magistrate, who was sworn into her new role on Tuesday alongside the territory's first dedicated coroner.
"You simply got up, dusted yourself off and awaited your retrieval," ACT Bar Association councillor Rebecca Curran said of Ms Campbell at an ACT Magistrates Court ceremonial sitting.
Ms Curran suggested experiences like that one, in Tamworth, had helped turn Ms Campbell into a "resilient and no-nonsense" lawyer who was "destined for the bench".
Ms Campbell had already been on the court's bench for more than a year prior to Tuesday, having worked as a special magistrate before being appointed on a permanent basis.
She joked it was always good to be the first at something, but she could not lay claim to being the ACT's first female magistrate, first dedicated coroner or even "first redhead judicial officer".
"So, I'm going to claim to be the first 'try before you buy' magistrate," she said.
The youngest of eight children and now a mother to five of her own, Ms Campbell was described in a university yearbook upon her graduation as someone who brought "new meaning to the phrase 'perpetual party machine'".
She later realised the caption was in fact meant to accompany a photograph of her best friend, who had been wrongly given Ms Campbell's description as a student who mysteriously achieved good results despite regularly falling asleep in law lectures.
Ms Campbell continued being a high achiever after she was admitted to practice in 1990, discovering a love of criminal law during a subsequent stint as a prosecutor in Sydney.
She left the law briefly to be a high school teacher before returning to the profession and working in various roles in Canberra, where she became, among other things, a senior prosecutor and the deputy chief executive of Legal Aid ACT.
MORE COURT AND CRIME NEWS
- Blow for lawyer in fight against money laundering conspiracy charge
- Wounds run deep as community comes to terms with tragedy
- 'No winners': Cop acquitted of murdering Aboriginal teen
- Man accused of stealing police car to flee will be kept in custody
Since her initial appointment to the bench early last year, Ms Campbell has moved into the role of ACT Children's Court magistrate.
Ms Curran said many had commented that Ms Campbell had taken to the job like "a duck to water", showcasing a "sharp intellect" while being "fair-minded and unflappable".
ACT Attorney-General Shane Rattenbury also lauded her "productive approach", saying Ms Campbell's "direct human engagement" had made her a good fit.
The ACT Greens leader also told the ceremony he was delighted to welcome former criminal defence barrister and senior prosecutor Ken Archer as the ACT's "long-awaited" dedicated coroner.
He described the appointment as an important milestone in reforming the territory's coronial system, which has long been criticised for lengthy delays and for not paying enough attention to the needs of grieving families.
Mr Rattenbury acknowledged the role bereaved families had played in funding being allocated for a dedicated coroner, noting Mr Archer, who once described long-term delays as "soul-destroying", had also advocated for the position to be created.
Mr Archer, who recently represented the ACT Bar Association at a restorative coronial forum, told Tuesday's ceremony he would simply aim to see justice done in his courtroom.
He commended the creation of his new position as "a good start" towards coronial reform, but he said more needed to be done and he could not be more enthusiastic about starting work.
"I am humbled by the opportunity that has been given to me," he said.
Ms Curran also welcomed Mr Archer's appointment, saying the former Bar Association president was known for displaying empathy and great compassion in the face of "confronting, disturbing and gruesome" cases.
