District Court Judge Penelope Wass has been directed to step aside from criminal matters following a disagreement with the Director of Public Prosecutions. The Director of Public Prosecutions won an appeal after it emerged that Wass had sent and received undisclosed text messages with lawyers involved in proceedings. The conflict between the judge and the top prosecutor resulted in her removal.

The matter has attracted notice 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 won the appeal.