Principal Judge John Bollard of the Environment Court died on 28 April 2009.

After graduating from Auckland University in 1963, Judge Bollard completed a Masters in Jurisprudence (with distinction) in 1980. He practised in Auckland as a partner of Brookfield Prendergast & Co until 1984) and in Brandon-Brookfield from 1984 to 1987.

In 1988 he was appointed a Judge of the Planning Tribunal (as it then was) and was appointed Principal Environment Judge in April 2003. He spoke and presented papers at various forums, including the Commonwealth Law Conference in 1993, where he was a lead speaker at the Environment Session.

His judicial work has involved various cases of notable public interest, including the first significant Resource Management Act offence trial and sentencing known as Machinery Movers, the location of the Auckland Sky Tower, the One Tree Hill Maori activist prosecution, and provision of night-game lighting at Eden Park.

Judge Bollard "served his country well over the course of a distinguished public career," says Attorney-General Chris Finlayson.

This obituary was first published in LawTalk 729, 18 May 2009, page 6.