Northland lawyer La-Verne King of Taemaro, Te Tai Tokerau has been appointed a District Court Judge.

Judge La-Verne King. 

Judge King, whose iwi include Ngatikahu ki Whangaroa and Ngati Paoa, was admitted as a barrister and solicitor in December 1989.

In 1994, along with Judge Ida Malosi and Ali’imuamua Sandra Alofivae, she established the first Māori and Pasifika women law firm, KAM Legal.  Judge Sharyn Otene commenced her legal career there.  

In 2007 La-Verne King returned to the Far North and went on to establish Doubtless Bay Law Ltd in response to the many and varied legal needs of the local community.  

She was appointed as Youth Advocate in 1992, Counsel for Child in 1994, District Inspector for Mental Health in 2003 and Visiting Justice in 2009. In August 2018 she was appointed a member of the Independent Panel considering the 2014 Family Justice Reforms.    

Judge King will be sworn in on 31 May 2019. She will also have jurisdiction as a Family Court Judge.

Acting District Court Judge John Brandts Giesen has been appointed a District Court Judge with Family Court jurisdiction from 20 March 2019.

Judge Brandts-Giesen was appointed an Acting District Court Judge in July 2016 and sworn in on 5 August 2016. Before his appointment he was a partner with Rangiora law firm Brandts-Giesen McCormick Lawyers

Retired District Court Judges Gary Michael Harrison and David Graham Mather have been appointed Acting District Court Judges for two-year terms commencing on 2 March 2019 and 4 March 2019 respectively.