The Attorney General, Margaret Wilson, has announced the appointment of the Chief District Court Judge, Ron Young, to the High Court.

Justice Young completed an LLB at Otago University in 1974 and worked exclusively in litigation from 1975 to 1988. Before his appointment as a District Court Judge in 1988, he was a partner of McCaw Lewis Chapman in Hamilton.

Justice Young was appointed as Chief District Court Judge in 1993.

Justice Young's successor will be the Principal Judge of the Youth Court, David Carruthers. Judge Carruthers is a graduate of Victoria University and holds a Masters Degree with Honours. He practised in Pahiatua for 20 years in partnership with his father. He was appointed a Family Court Judge in 1985 after a brief time in practice on his own account in Palmerston North. Judge Carruthers was appointed a Youth Court Judge in 1989 when that court was established and became Principal Youth Court Judge in 1996.

The appointments take effect on 1 June.