District Court Judge Penelope Wass has been ordered to step aside from criminal matters following a dispute with the Director of Public Prosecutions. The Director of Public Prosecutions successfully appealed after it became known that Wass had sent and received undisclosed messages with lawyers involved in proceedings. The conflict between the judge and the top prosecutor resulted in her disqualification.

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.