The chief justice of New Zealand () is the head of the New Zealand judiciary, and presides over the Supreme Court of New Zealand. The chief justice of New Zealand is also the chief justice of Tokelau. Before the establishment of the Supreme 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 Senior Courts Act 2016, which describes the chief justice as "senior to all other judges".
The chief justice is first among equals among the Judges of the Supreme Court. They also act in place of the governor-general if one has not been appointed or if the appointee is unable to perform their duties. When acting in place of the governor-general, the chief justice is known as the "administrator of the Government".
The chief justice is appointed by the governor-general, on the formal advice of the prime minister. The current chief justice is the Rt Hon Dame Helen Winkelmann, who was appointed on 14 March 2019 to replace the Rt Hon Dame Sian Elias, who had reached mandatory retirement at age 70.
History
From 1841 to 1957, the chief justice was the indisputable senior member of the New Zealand judiciary, and served on the old Supreme Court (now called the High Court of New Zealand). Prior to 1957, all judges of the Supreme Court sat as members of the Court of Appeal. In 1957, a permanent Court of Appeal was established which was headed by a President responsible for the running of that court. The role of the chief justice became akin to that of the current chief High Court judge, responsible for the operation of the High Court (comprising the largest part of the senior judiciary) but not having control over the senior New Zealand–based appellate court (being the Court of Appeal).
This changed in 2004 with the abolition of the right of appeal to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council and its replacement by the Supreme Court of New Zealand as the court of last resort for New Zealand. When the new Supreme Court was established, the chief justice became head of that court.
List of chief justices No.ImageChief JusticeAssumed officeLeft office1Hon. Sir William Martin5 February 184112 June 18572Hon. Sir George Arney18753Hon. Sir James Prendergast GCMG1 April 187525 May 18994Rt Hon. Sir Robert Stout GCMG25 May 189931 January 19265Hon. Sir Charles Skerrett KCMG KC1 February 192613 February 19296Rt Hon. Sir Michael Myers GCMG KC3 May 19297 August 19467Rt Hon. Sir Humphrey O'Leary KCMG KC12 August 194616 October 19538Rt Hon. Sir Harold Barrowclough KCMG CB DSO MC ED 17 November 195317 January 19669Rt Hon. Sir Richard Wild GBE KCMG QC18 January 1966January 197810Rt Hon. Sir Ronald Davison GBE CMG QC3 February 19784 February 198911Rt Hon. Sir Thomas Eichelbaum GBE QC 6 February 198916 May 199912Rt Hon. Dame Sian Elias GNZM PC QC17 May 199913 March 201913Rt Hon. Dame Helen Winkelmann GNZM14 March 2019present
References
External links Ministry of Justice - The Chief Justice Administrators of the Government