Incumbent Dame Helen Winkelmann since 14 March 2019
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Prime Minister of New Zealand
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5 February 1841
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Sir William Martin
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$578,000[1]
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The chief justice of New Zealand (Māori: Te Kaiwhakawā Tumuaki o Aotearoa) is the head of the New Zealand judiciary, and presides over the Supreme Court of New Zealand. The chief justice of New Zealand is also the chief justice of Tokelau.[2][3] Before the establishment of the Supreme 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 Court of Appeal of New Zealand. The office is established by the Senior Courts Act 2016, which describes the chief justice as "senior to all other judges".[4]
The chief justice is first among equals among the Judges of the Supreme Court. They also act in place of the governor-general if one has not been appointed or if the appointee is unable to perform their duties. When acting in place of the governor-general, the chief justice is known as the "administrator of the Government".[5]
The chief justice is appointed by the governor-general, on the formal advice of the prime minister.[6] The current chief justice is the Rt Hon Dame Helen Winkelmann, who was appointed on 14 March 2019 to replace the Rt Hon Dame Sian Elias, who had reached mandatory retirement at age 70.[7]
^"Tokelau Judicial Annual Report 2012 - 2013". paclii.org. Archived from the original on 28 July 2018. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
^"Meeting the Chief Justice of Tokelau". tokelau.org.nz. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
^"Senior Courts Act 2016 No 48 s18(1)". Parliamentary Counsel Office. 1 July 2019. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
^"Role of the Chief Justice". courtsofnz.govt.nz. Courts of New Zealand. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
^"Appointing Judges: A Judicial Appointments Commission or New Zealand?". Ministry of Justice. September 2002. Archived from the original on 16 October 2008. Retrieved 12 June 2008.
^Cheng, Derek (17 December 2018). "New Chief Justice named as Justice Helen Winkelmann". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
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