Richard Kearney (judge)
Encyclopedia
Richard Kearney was a New Zealand
District Court Judge in Auckland
and a member of the Waitangi Tribunal
from 1996 to 2004.
. He studied law at the University of Auckland
and practised law in Auckland before he was appointed as a District Court Judge
.
until 1989 when he moved to the Bay of Plenty
, where he presided as a judge at the Tauranga District Court. He retired from his position at the Court in 1995, but joined the Waitangi Tribunal shortly afterwards in 1996, serving on it for eight years. He was the presiding officer in respect of important Treaty of Waitangi enquiries
: Tauranga Moana (Wai 215); Flora and Fauna (Wai 262); and the Wananga Capital Establishment Claim (Wai 718). He was also the chairman of the Indecent Publications Tribunal
and a member of that body.
(Wai 215). Beginning in 1998 he presided over more 200 hearings including the hearing of the evidence of more than 50 individual claimants (all of which were found to have justifiable grievances). Resulting from these hearings a report was written which was presented to the Welcome Bay's Hairini marae in September 2004 with Judge Kearney being a guest at the event.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
District Court Judge in Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
and a member of the Waitangi Tribunal
Waitangi Tribunal
The Waitangi Tribunal is a New Zealand permanent commission of inquiry established under the Treaty of Waitangi Act 1975...
from 1996 to 2004.
Early life
Kearney came from Auckland and attended St Peter's CollegeSt Peter's College, Auckland
St Peter's College is a Catholic college for year 7 to 13 boys . The school, located in Auckland, is one of the largest Catholic schools in New Zealand and is an integrated school under an integration agreement entered into by the Catholic Bishop of Auckland and the Government of New Zealand in...
. He studied law at the University of Auckland
University of Auckland
The University of Auckland is a university located in Auckland, New Zealand. It is the largest university in the country and the highest ranked in the 2011 QS World University Rankings, having been ranked worldwide...
and practised law in Auckland before he was appointed as a District Court Judge
District Courts of New Zealand
The District Courts of New Zealand are low-level trial courts in New Zealand. The District Courts can hear civil claims up to $200,000 and criminal cases involving relatively minor offences...
.
Judicial career
Kearney was a very experienced District Court Judge, first in WellingtonWellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
until 1989 when he moved to the Bay of Plenty
Bay of Plenty
The Bay of Plenty , often abbreviated to BOP, is a region in the North Island of New Zealand situated around the body of water of the same name...
, where he presided as a judge at the Tauranga District Court. He retired from his position at the Court in 1995, but joined the Waitangi Tribunal shortly afterwards in 1996, serving on it for eight years. He was the presiding officer in respect of important Treaty of Waitangi enquiries
Treaty of Waitangi claims and settlements
Treaty of Waitangi claims and settlements have been a significant feature of New Zealand race relations and politics since 1975. Over the last 30 years, New Zealand governments have increasingly provided formal legal and political opportunity for Māori to seek redress for breaches by the Crown of...
: Tauranga Moana (Wai 215); Flora and Fauna (Wai 262); and the Wananga Capital Establishment Claim (Wai 718). He was also the chairman of the Indecent Publications Tribunal
Office of Film and Literature Classification (New Zealand)
The Office of Film and Literature Classification is the government agency in New Zealand that is responsible for classification of all films, videos, publications, and some video games in New Zealand...
and a member of that body.
Chairing of Tauranga land claims
Kearney's heaviest assignment in his later years was as a presiding judge for the Waitangi Tribunal hearings on Maori land claims in TaurangaTauranga
Tauranga is the most populous city in the Bay of Plenty region, in the North Island of New Zealand.It was settled by Europeans in the early 19th century and was constituted as a city in 1963...
(Wai 215). Beginning in 1998 he presided over more 200 hearings including the hearing of the evidence of more than 50 individual claimants (all of which were found to have justifiable grievances). Resulting from these hearings a report was written which was presented to the Welcome Bay's Hairini marae in September 2004 with Judge Kearney being a guest at the event.