Hugh Williams (judge)

Sir John Hugh Williams KNZM QC (born 23 September 1939), generally known as Hugh Williams, is a former president of the New Zealand Electoral Commission and a retired judge of the High Court of New Zealand. He is currently Chief Justice of the Cook Islands.

Sir

Hugh Williams

KNZM QC
Williams in 2010
7th Chief Justice of the Cook Islands
Assumed office
2016
Preceded byTom Weston
Personal details
Born23 September 1939
Alma materVictoria University of Wellington

Early life

Williams was educated at Wellington College and Gisborne Boys' High School, and graduated with an LLM (Hon) degree from Victoria University of Wellington.[1]

Career

Williams was appointed a Queen's Counsel in 1988 and a High Court Justice in 1997. He was the Senior Puisne Judge and was a Master (Associate Judge) of the High Court for 6 previous years. He was the longest serving Judge based at the High Court of New Zealand at Auckland for many years, until he retired on 22 September 2009.

Williams was the Criminal List Judge for Auckland, and presided over many high-profile trials, including the 2007 trials of Darin Gardner and Roger Kahui.[2][3]

Williams was Chancellor of Massey University from 1990 to 1997, and a city councillor for Palmerston North City from 1983 to 1989. He is a former president of the New Zealand Law Society, and a current trustee of the Kea Conservation Trust.[4] In 2009, he was appointed president of the Electoral Commission and succeeded Hon Andrew McGechan QC.[5] In 2010, he became chair of the new Electoral Commission.[6]

After serving from 2009 as a Cook Islands High Court judge he was appointed in 2016 Chief Justice of the Cook Islands.[7]

Honours

Williams was conferred an honorary doctorate (DLit) by Massey University in 1998.[8] In the 2010 Queen's Birthday Honours, Williams was appointed an Additional Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services as a judge.[9]

References
  1. Tiffany, Martin (16 June 2010). "Williams knighted in Queen's honours". Cook Islands News. Retrieved 9 July 2015.
  2. "Heated scenes after man found guilty of car murders..." Stuff.co.nz. 27 September 2007. Retrieved 28 May 2015.
  3. "Serial rapist Kahui jailed indefinitely". Stuff.co.nz. 12 October 2007. Retrieved 28 May 2015.
  4. "Our Team". Kea Conservation Trust. Retrieved 18 June 2014.
  5. Power, Simon (9 November 2009). "Electoral Commission president appointed" (Press release). Wellington: New Zealand Government. Retrieved 9 July 2015.
  6. "The Board of the Electoral Commission". Electoral Commission. 3 May 2013. Retrieved 9 July 2015.
  7. "New Chief Justice for Cook Islands". New Zealand Law Society. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
  8. "Honorary graduates". Massey University. Archived from the original on 25 April 2018. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  9. "Queen's Birthday honours list 2010". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 7 June 2010. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
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