Solicitor-General of New Zealand
Encyclopedia
The Solicitor-General of New Zealand is the second law officer of state in New Zealand
. The Solicitor-General is also head of the Crown Law Office
, that comprises lawyers employed to represent the Attorney-General
in court proceedings in New Zealand.
Under section 9A of the Constitution Act 1986
the Solicitor-General can exercise almost all of the statutory functions conferred on the Attorney-General. As the non-political Law Officer, the Solicitor-General has traditionally assumed responsibility for the exercise of those functions that should be undertaken independently of the political process. The Crown Law Office supervises the prosecution of major criminal offences, with most prosectutions being conducted by regional law firms that act as Crown Solicitors.
The current Solicitor-General is Dr David Collins QC, who was appointed in August 2006. His predecessor was Terence Arnold QC, who was appointed as a Judge of the Court of Appeal
in May 2006. There has been a usual practice of appointing the Solicitor General as a Judge of the High Court
, although Terrence Arnold's predecessor, John McGrath QC, was appointed to the Court of Appeal in July 2000. (Justice McGrath was subsequently appointed to the Supreme Court
in May 2005.)
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...
. The Solicitor-General is also head of the Crown Law Office
Crown Law Office (New Zealand)
The Crown Law Office of New Zealand offers legal advice to the New Zealand Government. The Solicitor-General of New Zealand, David Collins, is the organisation's chief executive. Collins has held this position since August 2006. The position itself was established in 1875....
, that comprises lawyers employed to represent the Attorney-General
Attorney-General (New Zealand)
The Attorney-General is a political office in New Zealand. It is simultaneously a ministerial position and an administrative office, and has responsibility for supervising New Zealand law and advising the government on legal matters...
in court proceedings in New Zealand.
Under section 9A of the Constitution Act 1986
New Zealand Constitution Act 1986
The Constitution Act 1986 is the principal formal statement of New Zealand's Constitution.It ended the last remaining associations of New Zealand with the British Parliament.-1984 constitutional crisis:...
the Solicitor-General can exercise almost all of the statutory functions conferred on the Attorney-General. As the non-political Law Officer, the Solicitor-General has traditionally assumed responsibility for the exercise of those functions that should be undertaken independently of the political process. The Crown Law Office supervises the prosecution of major criminal offences, with most prosectutions being conducted by regional law firms that act as Crown Solicitors.
The current Solicitor-General is Dr David Collins QC, who was appointed in August 2006. His predecessor was Terence Arnold QC, who was appointed as a Judge of the Court of Appeal
Court of Appeal of New Zealand
The Court of Appeal of New Zealand, located in Wellington, is New Zealand’s principal intermediate appellate court. In practice, most appeals are resolved at this intermediate appellate level, rather than in the Supreme Court...
in May 2006. There has been a usual practice of appointing the Solicitor General as a Judge of the High Court
High Court of New Zealand
The High Court of New Zealand is a superior court of New Zealand. It was established in 1841 and known as the Supreme Court of New Zealand until 1980....
, although Terrence Arnold's predecessor, John McGrath QC, was appointed to the Court of Appeal in July 2000. (Justice McGrath was subsequently appointed to the Supreme Court
Supreme Court of New Zealand
The Supreme Court of New Zealand is the highest court and the court of last resort in New Zealand, having formally come into existence on 1 January 2004. The court sat for the first time on 1 July 2004. It replaced the right of appeal to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, based in London...
in May 2005.)
List of recent Solicitors General of New Zealand
- Dr David Collins QC
- Terence ArnoldTerence ArnoldTerence Hugh Arnold, QC was the Solicitor-General of New Zealand from 2000, before being made a judge of the Court of Appeal of New Zealand in 2006.-Career:...
QC (2000 - 2006) - John McGrathJohn McGrath (judge)Sir John Joseph McGrath, KNZM, QC is a Judge of the Supreme Court of New Zealand. He was formerly the Solicitor-General of New Zealand for eleven years from 1989, before being made a judge of the Court of Appeal of New Zealand in 2000. He was elevated to the Supreme Court in 2005.-Career:Justice...
QC (1989 - 2000) - Paul Neazor QC
- Richard Savage QC
- John White QC
- Richard WildRichard WildSir Herbert Richard Churton Wild, GBE, KCMG, QC, was the ninth Chief Justice of New Zealand. Wild was born in Blenheim but attended Feilding Agricultural High School. In 1930 he enrolled at Victoria University College, graduating LLB in 1934 and LLM in 1935...
QC (subsequently Chief Justice of New ZealandChief Justice of New ZealandThe Chief Justice of New Zealand is the head of the New Zealand judiciary, and presides over the Supreme Court of New Zealand. Before the establishment of the latter court in 2004 the Chief Justice was the presiding judge in the High Court of New Zealand and was also ex officio a member of the...
).