Membership
Section 155 of the Senior Courts Act 2016 provides for eleven Rules Committee members. These are:
- the Chief Justice of New Zealand;
- the Chief High Court Judge and two other judges of the High Court appointed by the Chief Justice;
- the Chief District Court Judge and one other District Court judge appointed by the Chief Justice on the recommendation of the Chief District Court Judge;
- the Attorney-General
- the Solicitor-General;
- the Chief Executive of the Ministry of Justice; and
- two barristers and solicitors nominated by the Council of the New Zealand Law Society and approved by the Chief Justice.
The Chief Justice may appoint any other person to be a member for a special purpose. That person holds office during the pleasure of the Chief Justice. Three such members have, at present, been appointed for special purposes.
The Chief Justice and Chief High Court Judge attend all or part of most meetings. Other members may have a permanent nominee (alternate) who attends meetings whether or not the principal member is present. Nominees (alternates) are full members of the committee for all purposes other than the formal execution of concurrences. Concurrences are signed by a nominee only where the nominee has been appointed by the Chief Justice for special purposes as a member of the Committee in their own right.
Present Membership of the Rules Committee
(Constituted under s 155 of the Senior Courts Act 2016)
Current to 3 November 2022
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Ex Officio |
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The Chief Justice, the Rt Hon Dame Helen Winkelmann GNZM |
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The Chief High Court Judge, the Hon Justice Sally Fitzgerald |
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The Chief District Court Judge, His Honour Judge Heemi Taumaunu |
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The Attorney-General, the Hon Judith Collins KC |
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The Solicitor-General, Ms Una Jagose KC |
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The Chief Executive of the Ministry of Justice, Mr Andrew Kibblewhite |
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Appointed members |
Appointment Details |
Expiry Date |
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The Hon Justice Francis Cooke, Judge of the High Court at Wellington (appointed by the Chief Justice) - Chair |
3 years commencing 18 April 2022 |
17 April 2025 |
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The Hon Justice Ian Gault, Judge of the High Court at Auckland (appointed by the Chief Justice) |
3 years commencing 1 February 2024 |
31 January 2027 |
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His Honour Judge PR Kellar, Judge of the District Court at Christchurch (appointed by the Chief Justice on the recommendation of the Chief District Court Judge) |
3 years commencing 24 March 2023 |
23 March 2026 |
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Ms Stephanie Grieve KC, Barrister of Wellington (nominated by the Council of the New Zealand Law Society and approved by the Chief Justice) |
3 years commencing 22 December 2023 |
21 December 2026 |
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Mr Daniel Kalderimis, Barrister of Wellington (nominated by the Council of the New Zealand Law Society and approved by the Chief Justice) |
3 years commencing 30 November 2023 |
29 November 2026 |
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Appointed by the Chief Justice For Special Purpose |
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President of the Court of Appeal His Hon Justice Mark Cooper |
Appointed 3 November 2022 |
Not more than 3 years (2 November 2025) |
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Mr Paul David KC, Barrister of Auckland |
Appointed 8 April 2024 |
Not more than 3 years (7 April 2027) |
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The Rules Committee is supported by four support personnel who regularly attend Committee meetings. They are actively involved in the Committee's work while not being Committee members for concurrence purposes. These are the Clerk to the Rules Committee (customarily a Judge's Clerk in the High Court in the same registry as the Chair), the Secretary to the Rules Committee (as an institutional representative of the Ministry of Justice), a representative of the Parliamentary Counsel Office (presently the Chief Parliamentary Counsel), and the Chief Advisor Legal and Policy from the Judicial Office of Senior Courts.