Displaying 1 - 24 of 108 results.

Auckland barrister David Smith has been appointed a Judge of the District Court with a jury warrant and a Family Court warrant, Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson announced today. 

Judge Smith was admitted to the bar in 1974.  His practice as a barrister sole in Auckland comprises relationship property, employment, leaky buildings work and criminal work with the remainder being a wide range of civil matters, mostly in the High Court.

  • Christopher Finlayson
  • Attorney-General

Auckland barrister Pippa Sinclair has been appointed as a District Court Judge to serve in North Shore, Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson announced today.

Judge Sinclair was admitted to the bar in 1987. She has been practising as a staff solicitor and barrister in Auckland for over 22 years and warranted as a District Inspector for Mental Health Services for four years.

  • Christopher Finlayson
  • Attorney-General

Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson today announced four re-appointments and one new appointment as lay members of the High Court under the Commerce Act. 

Lay members assist the Court in cases involving appeals from decisions of the Commerce Commission and in other matters under the Commerce Act, and must have specialist knowledge or experience in industry, commerce, economics, law, or accountancy.

  • Christopher Finlayson
  • Attorney-General

A report on released today shows that public prosecution services are generally effective and efficient, but there are opportunities for improvements, Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson said today.

The review, by John Spencer, was initiated in March 2011 to determine whether prosecutions brought by public sector agencies could be delivered in a more cost-effective and sustainable manner at the same or higher quality levels.

  • Christopher Finlayson
  • Attorney-General

The interim report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Building Failure caused by Canterbury Earthquakes has been released today by the Attorney-General, Christopher Finlayson.

Under its terms of reference, the Royal Commission of Inquiry was required to make an interim report report by 11 October, in advance of its findings in April 2012.

The interim report was presented by the Royal Commission of Inquiry to the Governor-General on Monday.

  • Christopher Finlayson
  • Attorney-General
  • Earthquake Recovery

A review will commence in October 2011 on the scope and focus of the Solicitor-General’s role and the operating model of the Crown Law Office, Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson announced today.

“The purpose of the review is to consider all aspects of the roles and functions of the Solicitor-General and determine how these could be discharged most effectively and efficiently, reflecting the constitutional context, and including the organisational support for the role and functions,” Mr Finlayson said.

  • Christopher Finlayson
  • Attorney-General

Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson today welcomed the Justice and Electoral Select Committee’s report to Parliament recommending the Video Camera Surveillance (Temporary Measures) Bill be passed as a priority.

Passing the Bill will mean Police are able to resume operations involving covert video surveillance of serious offenders. All police covert video surveillance on private property was halted following a Supreme Court decision on 2 September that almost all such operations were illegal.

  • Christopher Finlayson
  • Attorney-General

“Charles Chauvel's draft SOP for the Video Camera Surveillance (Temporary Measures) Bill demonstrates the danger of taking parts of draft legislation out of the context in which they were drafted,” Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson says.

“Mr Chauvel has, apparently inadvertently, drafted his SOP using large sections of the Search and Surveillance Bill as introduced to Parliament, rather than as reported back from Select Committee last year," Mr Finlayson said. "This has created some serious problems in what he proposes.”

  • Christopher Finlayson
  • Attorney-General

Mr Speaker, I move that the Video Surveillance (Temporary Measures) Bill be now read a first time.

  • Christopher Finlayson
  • Attorney-General

A Bill to preserve the legal position of covert video surveillance will be introduced to the House tomorrow by Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson.

The Video Camera Surveillance (Temporary Measures) Bill will express Parliament’s intent that any lawful search in which covert video surveillance is used is not unlawful just because of that surveillance.

The bill does not provide any legal power that did not exist before the Supreme Court decision of 2 September to use covert video surveillance.

  • Christopher Finlayson
  • Attorney-General

Justice Minister Simon Power and Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson today visited the Nga Hau e Wha Marae in Bromley, which is being used as a temporary courthouse following the Canterbury earthquakes.

The marae has been hearing both criminal and family matters since April, and is one of several interim court facilities operating while the main court buildings are unable to be reoccupied.

  • Simon Power
  • Christopher Finlayson
  • Attorney-General
  • Justice
  • Earthquake Recovery

Christchurch lawyer Marcus Elliott has been appointed Counsel Assisting the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Building Failure Caused by the Canterbury Earthquakes, with a specific focus on representing the interests of victims' families, Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson said today.

  • Christopher Finlayson
  • Attorney-General

Auckland District Court Judge Christina Inglis, has been appointed an Employment Court Judge to be based in Auckland, Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson announced today.

Judge Inglis was appointed to the District Court Bench in 2010, and has sat in Manukau. Prior to that appointment she had a broad range of experience, including significant experience in employment law.

  • Christopher Finlayson
  • Attorney-General

Waikato Coroner Gordon Matenga has been appointed Acting Chief Coroner from 1 September until 31 October while Judge Neil MacLean is on leave, Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson announced today.

Coroner Matenga has been hearing evidence at the inquest for the victims of the Christchurch earthquake this week, and is also hearing a joint Inquest into a number of cycling related deaths.

  • Christopher Finlayson
  • Attorney-General

Auckland barrister Maureen Southwick QC has been appointed a Family Court Judge, Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson announced today.

Judge Southwick QC was admitted to the New Zealand Bar in 1971 and was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2003. She practices in Auckland principally in the areas of family, relationship property and trust law.

  • Christopher Finlayson
  • Attorney-General

Judge Laurie Newhook has been appointed Acting Principal Environment Judge, Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson announced today. 

Judge Newhook was appointed to the Environment Court Bench in 2001. He graduated from Auckland University with an LLB (Hons) in 1972 and was admitted to the Bar the same year. From 1976 he was a partner of Brookfields and antecedent firms, practicing in resource management, local government and general litigation with an emphasis on land, maritime matters, construction law and mediation/arbitration work.

  • Christopher Finlayson
  • Attorney-General

New Chief District Court Judge appointed
 

  • Christopher Finlayson
  • Attorney-General

The Government will fund further legal assistance for families of Canterbury earthquake victims, Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson said today.

Government will appoint a new Counsel Assisting the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Building Failure Caused by the Canterbury and Christchurch Earthquakes, with a specific focus on representing the interests of the families who lost loved ones in the 22 February 2011 earthquake.

  • Christopher Finlayson
  • Attorney-General
  • Earthquake Recovery

Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson, Justice Minister Simon Power and Courts Minister Georgina Te Heuheu have all expressed their shock and sorrow at the death of Chief Judge Russell Johnson, who led the District Court for the last six years.

  • Simon Power
  • Christopher Finlayson
  • Georgina te Heuheu
  • Attorney-General
  • Courts
  • Justice

Chief District Court Judge Russell Joseph Johnson has been appointed Deputy Judge Advocate General of the Armed Forces, Attorney-General Chris Finlayson announced today.

Chief Judge Johnson was an Officer of the Royal New Zealand Naval Volunteer Reserve for 25 years, being awarded the Volunteer Reserve Decoration (VRD) in 1987. He retired as Commanding Officer of the RNZNVR in 1992 with the rank of Commander RNZNVR.

  • Christopher Finlayson
  • Attorney-General

Wellington lawyer Alan Ritchie has been appointed Deputy Judicial Conduct Commissioner for a term of five years, Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson announced today.

  • Christopher Finlayson
  • Attorney-General

Michael Turner, Barrister of Blenheim has been appointed as a District Court Judge, Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson announced today.

  • Christopher Finlayson
  • Attorney-General

The Government will carefully consider the latest Waitangi Tribunal report Ko Aotearoa Tenei, Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson said.

“The government will now consider the report in its entirety and in the context of existing policy,” Mr Finlayson said. “The Tribunal’s report, and non-binding recommendations it has proposed, will give us much food for thought.”

  • Christopher Finlayson
  • Attorney-General

Auckland lawyer Claire Marie Ryan has been appointed a District Court Judge, Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson announced today.

Judge Ryan was admitted to the New Zealand Bar in 1985, the Federal Court of Australia and the Supreme Court of ACT in 1990 and the Supreme Court of Victoria in 1993. She has practised for over 26 years, including five years in Australia, working extensively in the areas of criminal law, family law and child protection.

  • Christopher Finlayson
  • Attorney-General