Queensland's Chief Magistrate Tim Carmody has been confirmed as the next Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

The decision has been condemned by former corruption inquiry chief, Tony Fitzgerald QC.

"People whose ambition exceeds their ability aren’t all that unusual," Mr Fitzgerald said.

"However, it's deeply troubling that the megalomaniacs currently holding power in Queensland are prepared to damage even fundamental institutions like the Supreme Court and cast doubt on fundamental principles like the independence of the judiciary."

Judge Carmody, 58, served as counsel assisting the Fitzgerald Inquiry into corruption in the late 1980s.

Retired justice George Fryberg has also questioned Judge Carmody's experience and intellect.

"I think it's an unfortunate appointment because while Tim has a lot of personal qualities which make him a very agreeable fellow to work with, I don't think his qualities are suited to this job," he said.

"The Newman Government seems to have developed a siege mentality regarding the legal profession.

"They want to demonstrate that their political power runs to appointing who they choose, not necessarily someone regarded as appropriate by lawyers, judges or anybody else.

"Much the same thing happened 20 or 30 years ago when Joh Bjelke-Petersen wanted to appoint Judge Andrews of the District Court to be chief justice when the obvious appointment was Justice Douglas, the senior judge on the Supreme Court.

"That led to a huge controversy where the attorney [general] of the day wouldn't support the premier."

Newman: he is a knockabout bloke everyone can respect

Premier Campbell Newman describes Judge Carmody as a fine legal mind, with diverse life experience.

"There are many fine candidates but at the end there is only one candidate that had all the qualities to do this job in an exemplary fashion and that's Tim Carmody," he said.

"He's a self-made man, a knockabout bloke and someone I think all Queenslanders can respect."

Ian Brown from the Queensland Law Society has welcomed the appointment.

"Judge Carmody has a long and distinguished career in the law, he has those essential qualities of integrity, dignity, compassion, that will equip him well as Chief Justice," Mr Brown said.

The Bar Association of Queensland has declined to comment.

Carmody: I will remain independent

Judge Carmody has dismissed questions of his impartiality.

"Despite what people might read in the newspapers, I'm fiercely independent," he said.

Judge Carmody says he will run the courts effectively and provide the service the community expects.

"I've often said and I'm sure nobody will argue that I may not be the smartest lawyer in the room, and if you were in a room with me and I was the smartest lawyer it would be a good time to leave it," he said.

"But there's more to being a Chief Justice than a black letter lawyer. There are plenty of them already on the Supreme Court, and I don't aspire to compete with them for intellectual rigour."

Judge Carmody says he hopes to be able to emulate his predecessor, Paul de Jersey.

"It's a bit daunting to be honest and everything's happened so quickly," he said.

"It's a mixture of emotions for me and the job I'm going into is obviously a very important one.

"For lawyers it's the pinnacle of the profession and I'm following in the footsteps of someone who's given long and distinguished service to the role.

Judge Carmody is a former police officer who who became a barrister in 1982.

He is a former Queensland crime commissioner and Family Court judge.

Mr Carmody was appointed Chief Magistrate last year, and was criticised by some legal groups when he ordered that all contested bail hearings for bikie gang members be heard in one court in Brisbane.

Some legal figures, including former solicitor-general Walter Sofronoff, have warned against promoting Judge Carmody and questioned his political impartiality.