William Cox

Who is William Cox?

William John Ellis Cox, AC, RFD, ED, QC was Governor of Tasmania from 15 December 2004 to 2 April 2008, prior to which he was the state's Chief Justice and Lieutenant Governor.

Born in Hobart to the Hon William Ellis Cox, CBE, MC and Alice Mary Mulcahy Cox, William John Ellis Cox was educated at St. Virgil's College, Hobart, Xavier College, Melbourne and the University of Tasmania.

He graduated from the University of Tasmania in 1960 and was admitted to the Bar, in the Supreme Court of Tasmania in March 1960. He was appointed a magistrate in 1976, and became a Queen's Counsel in 1978, during his term as the State's Crown Advocate.

He was appointed to the Supreme Court of Tasmania in 1982, and was the state's Chief Justice from 1995 until 2004. He was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of Tasmania in 1996. In 1999, Cox was made a Companion of the Order of Australia. He already held the Reserve Force Decoration and the Army's Efficiency Decoration for service in the Royal Tasmania Regiment, including service in Vietnam.