The Queensland government will take its time appointing a new chief justice after Tim Carmody cut his controversy-plagued term short, ending months of bitter infighting.
Justice Carmody resigned on Wednesday, less than a year after his appointment by the former Liberal National Party (LNP) government.
He will remain a Supreme Court judge and serve as a supplementary judicial member of the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) with a view to becoming its president.
Attorney-General Yvette D'Ath called it "a dignified end to the controversy" and indicated she intended to consult broadly about a replacement.
"I will not be rushing that decision," she said.
"It is a very serious decision and needs considerable thought and proper consultation, as I have always promised to do in relation to any appointments before the court."
Court of Appeal Justice Hugh Fraser replaces Justice Carmody until a permanent appointment is made.
Justice Carmody's elevation from chief magistrate to chief justice last year divided the legal community as he had never sat in the Supreme Court.
Wednesday's announcement ends weeks of uncertainty after Justice Carmody publicly offered to step down on May 24.
In a letter to Queensland Law Society president Michael Fitzgerald, Justice Carmody said the decision was made after "long and anxious thought" and in broad consultation with family, friends and advisers.
"I hope it will be understood and taken in the light it is intended and that is to restore the dignity of the judiciary and the public confidence in its ability to administer justice," he wrote in Wednesday's letter.
Opposition leader Lawrence Springborg paid tribute to the retiring chief justice and defended his appointment.
"Justice Carmody is someone who has made an enormous contribution to the law and also the judiciary in Queensland over a significant period of time," Mr Springborg said.
Justice Carmody accepted his position was untenable after his high-profile spat with Court of Appeal president Margaret McMurdo, who refused to sit with him on any court after a bungle during an appeal by Daniel Morcombe's convicted killer.
An email exchange between the pair surfaced in May, three months after the chief judge allegedly launched a stinging tirade against the state's Supreme Court judges.
Justice John Byrne used his phone to record the fiery exchange, in which the chief justice allegedly referred to members of the judiciary as "snakes and scum".
Ms D'Ath said the government would provide a mediator to support Supreme Court judges in developing "appropriate" work practices and standards within the court.
The current QCAT president's tenure is due to end in October next year, and Justice Carmody would be given "favourable consideration" for the role, the attorney-general said.
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