District Court Judge Penelope Wass has been ordered to stand down from criminal matters following a disagreement with the Director of Public Prosecutions. The Director of Public Prosecutions successfully appealed after it emerged that Wass had sent and received undisclosed text messages with lawyers linked to proceedings. The conflict between the judge and the top prosecutor resulted in her removal.

The matter has drawn attention in Sydney legal circles as a rare public clash between a sitting judge and the state prosecution authority. The dispute was described as a sharp disagreement before the top prosecutor secured the ruling.