In 2014 when Tim Carmody, a former police officer, was sworn in as Chief Justice of Queensland, he had been Chief Magistrate for only nine months and had never served on the Supreme Court. It was one of the most controversial judicial appointments in Australia's history. Chaos ensued. The Tim Carmody Affair explores his damaging and divisive tenure and the judicial rebellion that followed. It proposes ways Australia can improve the process of judicial appointments to avoid this kind of controversy again.

Rebecca Ananian-Welsh is a lecturer at the TC Beirne School of Law, University of Queensland. She has published widely on the separation of powers in Australia, with a particular focus on controversial anti-bikie laws. Gabrielle Appleby is an associate professor in law at the University of New South Wales, and previously worked for the Queensland Crown Solicitor and the Victorian Government Solicitor's Office. Andrew Lynch is a professor of law at the University of New South Wales, has written on judicial decision-making on the High Court for many years, and has recently been researching and publishing in the area of judicial appointments reform.