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Chief Justice of New Zealand
Coat of arms of New Zealand.svg
Judiciary of New Zealand
Helen Winkelmann 151sm.jpg
Incumbent
Dame Helen Winkelmann

since 14 March 2019
Style The Right Honourable
Nominator Prime Minister of New Zealand
Appointer Governor-General of New Zealand
Term length No set term, though retirement is mandatory at age 70
Formation 5 February 1841
First holder Sir William Martin
Salary $578,000

The chief justice of New Zealand (Māori: Te Kaiwhakawā Tumuaki o Aotearoa) 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. Image Chief Justice Assumed office Left office
1 Martin William, Judge.jpg Hon. Sir William Martin 5 February 1841 12 June 1857
2 Hon. Sir George Arney c. 1858 1875
3 JamesPrendergast.JPG Hon. Sir James Prendergast GCMG 1 April 1875 25 May 1899
4 Robert Stout, ca 1919.jpg Rt Hon. Sir Robert Stout GCMG 25 May 1899 31 January 1926
5 Charles Skerrett.jpg Hon. Sir Charles Skerrett KCMG KC 1 February 1926 13 February 1929
6 Michael Myers, New Zealand.jpg Rt Hon. Sir Michael Myers GCMG KC 3 May 1929 7 August 1946
7 Humphrey Francis O'Leary (cropped).jpg Rt Hon. Sir Humphrey O'Leary KCMG KC 12 August 1946 16 October 1953
8 Harold Eric Barrowclough (1954).jpg Rt Hon. Sir Harold Barrowclough KCMG CB DSO MC ED 17 November 1953 17 January 1966
9 Rt Hon. Sir Richard Wild GBE KCMG QC 18 January 1966 January 1978
10 Rt Hon. Sir Ronald Davison GBE CMG QC 3 February 1978 4 February 1989
11 Rt Hon. Sir Thomas Eichelbaum GBE QC 6 February 1989 16 May 1999
12 Sian Elias.jpg Rt Hon. Dame Sian Elias GNZM PC QC 17 May 1999 13 March 2019
13
Helen Winkelmann - Waitangi 2022 (cropped).jpg
Rt Hon. Dame Helen Winkelmann GNZM 14 March 2019 present
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