Judith Mary Edwards was born in 1955 in Beverley, Western Australia, to Brian and Patricia Edwards, a farmer and nurse respectively. Edwards completed her secondary education at Loreto Convent, Claremont, and graduated from the University of Western Australia as a medical practitioner. Undertaking study towards a Masters degree in public health, she began practicing in the Mount Lawley area of Perth, and became involved with a number of community-based health services, including the Sexual Assault Referral Centre and the Aborginal Medical Service. After joining the Australian Labor Party, Edwards entered the Legislative Assembly in the Western Australian Parliament for the seat of Maylands after the by-election of 26 May 1990, held to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of Hon. Peter Dowding. She was re-elected in 1993, 1996, 2001, 2005, and did not contest the general election of 6 September 2008.

Sources used to compile this entry: Black, David and Bolton, Geoffrey (eds), Biographical Register of Members of the Parliament of Western Australia, Vol. 2, 1930-1990, Western Australian Parliamentary History Project, Perth, Western Australia, 1990; Black, David and Phillips, Harry, 'Making a Difference: Women in the West Australian Parliament 1921-1999', Parliament of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, 2000; Watson, Judyth [ed.], We Hold Up Half the Sky: The Voices of Western Australian ALP Women in Parliament, Australian Labour Party, Perth, Western Australia, 1994; See http://www.parliament.wa.gov.au/web/newwebparl.nsf/iframewebpages/Members+-+Former [accessed 2009-11-30] for more details.