Chief Justice of New Zealand
Encyclopedia
The Chief Justice of New Zealand (in Māori
: Te Kaiwhakawā Tumuaki o Aotearoa) is the head of the New Zealand judiciary, and presides over the Supreme Court of New Zealand
. Before the establishment of the latter court in 2004 the Chief Justice was the presiding judge in the High Court of New Zealand
and was also ex officio a member of the Court of Appeal of New Zealand
. The office is established by the Judicature Act 1908.
The Chief Justice is appointed by the Governor-General on the advice of the Prime Minister.
The Chief Justice also acts in place of the Governor-General of New Zealand
if one has not been appointed or the appointee is unable to perform his or her duties. When acting in place of the Governor-General, the Chief Justice is known as the Administrator of the Government
.
Maori language
Māori or te reo Māori , commonly te reo , is the language of the indigenous population of New Zealand, the Māori. It has the status of an official language in New Zealand...
: Te Kaiwhakawā Tumuaki o Aotearoa) is the head of the New Zealand judiciary, and presides over the Supreme Court of New Zealand
Supreme Court of New Zealand
The Supreme Court of New Zealand is the highest court and the court of last resort in New Zealand, having formally come into existence on 1 January 2004. The court sat for the first time on 1 July 2004. It replaced the right of appeal to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, based in London...
. Before the establishment of the latter court in 2004 the Chief Justice was the presiding judge in the High Court of New Zealand
High Court of New Zealand
The High Court of New Zealand is a superior court of New Zealand. It was established in 1841 and known as the Supreme Court of New Zealand until 1980....
and was also ex officio a member of the Court of Appeal of New Zealand
Court of Appeal of New Zealand
The Court of Appeal of New Zealand, located in Wellington, is New Zealand’s principal intermediate appellate court. In practice, most appeals are resolved at this intermediate appellate level, rather than in the Supreme Court...
. The office is established by the Judicature Act 1908.
The Chief Justice is appointed by the Governor-General on the advice of the Prime Minister.
The Chief Justice also acts in place of the Governor-General of New Zealand
Governor-General of New Zealand
The Governor-General of New Zealand is the representative of the monarch of New Zealand . The Governor-General acts as the Queen's vice-regal representative in New Zealand and is often viewed as the de facto head of state....
if one has not been appointed or the appointee is unable to perform his or her duties. When acting in place of the Governor-General, the Chief Justice is known as the Administrator of the Government
Administrator of the Government
An Administrator in the constitutional practice of some countries in the Commonwealth is a person who fulfils a role similar to that of a Governor or a Governor-General...
.
Chief Justices
- Sir William Martin (1841–1857)
- Sir George ArneyGeorge ArneySir George Alfred Arney was the second Chief Justice of New Zealand, from 1858 to 1875...
(1858–1875) - Sir James PrendergastJames Prendergast (judge)Sir James Prendergast GCMG was the third Chief Justice of New Zealand. Prendergast was the first Chief Justice to be appointed on the advice of a responsible New Zealand government, but is chiefly noted for his far-reaching decision in Wi Parata v The Bishop of Wellington in which he described the...
(1875–1899) - Sir Robert StoutRobert StoutSir Robert Stout, KCMG was the 13th Premier of New Zealand on two occasions in the late 19th century, and later Chief Justice of New Zealand. He was the only person to hold both these offices...
(1899–1926) - Sir Charles SkerrettCharles SkerrettSir Charles Perrin Skerrett KCMG, KC was the fifth Chief Justice of New Zealand, from 1926 to 1929.He was born in India. His father Peter Perrin Skerrett was born in Ireland and descended from the Skerretts of Finavera in County Clare; originally the Skerretts were one of the fourteen Tribes of...
(1926–1929) - Sir Michael MyersMichael Myers (judge)Sir Michael Myers, GCMG, KC, PC, was the sixth Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of New Zealand from 1929 to 1946 and served occasionally as Administrator of New Zealand from 1930 to 1941. He was the first person of Jewish descent to hold this position...
(1929–1946) - Sir Humphrey O'LearyHumphrey O'LearySir Humphrey Francis O'Leary, KCMG, KC was the seventh Chief Justice of New Zealand, from 1946 to 1953.Born in Blenheim in 1886, his father was a blacksmith who had migrated to Masterton...
(1946–1953) - Sir Harold Barrowclough (17 November 1953–1966)
- Sir Richard WildRichard WildSir Herbert Richard Churton Wild, GBE, KCMG, QC, was the ninth Chief Justice of New Zealand. Wild was born in Blenheim but attended Feilding Agricultural High School. In 1930 he enrolled at Victoria University College, graduating LLB in 1934 and LLM in 1935...
(18 January 1966–January 1978) - Sir Ronald DavisonRonald DavisonSir Ronald Keith Davison, GBE, CMG, QC was the tenth Chief Justice of New Zealand from 1978 to 1989.Sir Ronald headed the government inquiry into certain matters related to overseas company taxation, popularly known as the Winebox Inquiry. This involved allegations against a number of parties...
(3 February 1978–4 February 1989) - Sir Thomas EichelbaumThomas EichelbaumSir Johann Thomas Eichelbaum, GBE, QC was the eleventh Chief Justice of New Zealand.-Early life:He was born in Königsberg, Germany, and his family emigrated to Wellington, New Zealand in 1938 to escape the persecution of Jews...
(6 February 1989–16 May 1999) - Dame Sian EliasSian EliasDame Sian Seerpoohi Elias, GNZM, PC, QC is the Chief Justice of New Zealand, and is therefore the most senior member of the country's judiciary. She is the presiding judge of the Supreme Court of New Zealand...
(from 17 May 1999)