Hugh Williams (judge) explained

Honorific-Prefix:The Honourable
Sir Hugh Williams
Order:7th
Office:Chief Justice of the Cook Islands
Term Start:2016
Term End:2022
Predecessor:Tom Weston
Successor:Patrick Keane
Birth Name:John Hugh Williams
Birth Date:23 September 1939
Alma Mater:Victoria University of Wellington

Sir John Hugh Williams (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. From 2016 to 2022, he was Chief Justice of the Cook Islands.

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 Andrew McGechan.[5] In 2010, he became chair of the new Electoral Commission.[6]

After serving as a Cook Islands High Court judge from 2009, he was appointed the Chief Justice of the Cook Islands in 2016.[7] He retired as Chief Justice in December 2022 and was replaced by Patrick Keane.[8] [9]

Honours

Williams was conferred an honorary doctorate (DLit) by Massey University in 1998.[10] 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.[11]

Notes and References

  1. News: Tiffany. Martin. Williams knighted in Queen's honours. 9 July 2015. Cook Islands News. 16 June 2010.
  2. Web site: Heated scenes after man found guilty of car murders . New Zealand Herald . 27 September 2007 . 2 December 2021.
  3. Web site: Serial rapist Kahui jailed indefinitely . Stuff . 12 October 2007 . 2 December 2021.
  4. Web site: Our Team . Kea Conservation Trust . 18 June 2014.
  5. Power . Simon . Simon Power (politician) . 9 November 2009 . Electoral Commission president appointed . Wellington . . 9 July 2015.
  6. Web site: The Board of the Electoral Commission . . 9 July 2015 . 3 May 2013.
  7. Web site: New Chief Justice for Cook Islands. New Zealand Law Society. 26 March 2019.
  8. Web site: Media Release: Judicial Appointments . Ministry of Justice . 6 December 2022 . 9 December 2022.
  9. Web site: Retiring Chief Justice on his time here, suggestions for law reform . Cook Islands News . Al Williams . 10 December 2022 . 14 December 2022.
  10. Web site: Honorary graduates . Massey University . 15 November 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180425120049/http://www.massey.ac.nz/massey/about-massey/calendar/officers-and-staff-of-the-university/honorary-graduates.cfm . 25 April 2018 . dead .
  11. Web site: Queen's Birthday honours list 2010 . 7 June 2010 . Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet . 10 October 2018.