Justice Centre | 19 Aitken Street
DX SX10088 | Wel ington
T 04 918 8800 |
F 04 918 8820
[email address] | www.justice.govt.nz
18 October 2023
Ref: OIA 107494
S. I
[FYI request #24223 email]
Tēnā koe
Official Information Act request: Judicial appointments
Thank you for your email of 25 September 2023 to the Ministry of Justice (the Ministry)
requesting, under the Of icial Information Act 1982 (the Act), information about judges
appointed to courts. Specifically, you requested:
… A breakdown of the number of judges appointed to all the District, Family, High,
Appeal and Supreme courts by year, from 2017 to now.
If permitted, please include the names of the judges with the location of placement and
date of appointment.
In response to your request, the Ministry does not hold or maintain a register of appointed
judges by name, number, Court assignment or year of appointment. I am therefore refusing
your request under section 18(g)(i) as the information is not held by the Ministry, and there
are no grounds for believing it is held by another agency subject to the Act. (Appointments to
the District Court are administered by the Attorney-General’s Judicial Appointments Unit and
Crown Law supports the processes for appointments made to the senior courts. Information
held by these agencies on behalf of the Attorney-General is not subject to the Act).
However, I note that the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, High Court, and District Court,
publish information on their websites that provide much of the information you are seeking.
The Courts of New Zealand website has the current judicial appointments in the Supreme
Court, Court of Appeal and High Court.
•
The list of judges of the Supreme Court and their appointment date:
https://www.courtsofnz.govt.nz/the-courts/supreme-court/judges/
•
The list of judges of the Court of Appeal and their appointment date (month and year):
https://www.courtsofnz.govt.nz/the-courts/court-of-appeal/judges/
•
The list of judges in the High Court, the location they are based in, and their
appointment date (month and year):
https://www.courtsofnz.govt.nz/the-courts/high-
court/judges/
For the list of judges in the District Court (including the Family Court) and the location they
are based in, you can visit the District Court website:
https:/ www.districtcourts.govt.nz/about-the-courts/the-district-court-judiciary/the-judges/
If you require any further information, please contact Media & Social Media Manager
Joe Locke at
[email address]
Please note that this response, with your personal details removed, may be published on the
Ministry website at:
https://www.justice.govt.nz/about/official-information-act-requests/oia-
responses/
If you are not satisfied with this response, you have the right to complain to the Ombudsman
under section 28(3) of the Act. The Ombudsman may be contacted by email to
[email address] or by phone on 0800 802 602.
I hope the information provided assists.
Nāku noa, nā
Jeff Orr
Chief Legal Counsel
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