The 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 Court of Appeal of New Zealand. The office is established by the Judicature Act 1908.

Appointment

The Chief Justice is appointed by the Governor-General on the advice of the Prime Minister.

Administrator of the Government

The Chief Justice acts in place of the Governor-General of New Zealand if one has not been appointed or the appointee is unable to perform his or her duties. When acting in place of the Governor-General, the Chief Justice is known as the Administrator of the Government.

List of Chief Justices

	Name	Took office	Left office
1	Hon Sir William Martin	1841	1857
2	Hon Sir George Arney, GCMG	1858	1875
3	Hon Sir James Prendergast, KCMG	1875	1899
4	Rt Hon Sir Robert Stout, KCMG	1899	1926
5	Hon Sir Charles Skerrett, KCMG	1926	1929
5	Rt Hon Sir Michael Myers, GCMG, KC, PC	1929	1946
7	Rt Hon Sir Humphrey Francis O'Leary, KCMG, KC	1946	1953
8	Major-General Rt Hon Sir Harold Barrowclough, KCMG CB DSO MC	17 November 1953	1966
9	Rt Hon Sir (Herbert) Richard Churton Wild, GBE, KCMG	18 January 1966	January 1978
10	Rt Hon Sir Ronald Davison, GBE CMG	3 February 1978	4 February 1989
11	Rt Hon Sir (Johann) Thomas Eichelbaum, GBE	6 February 1989	16 May 1999
12	Rt Hon Dame Sian Seerpoohi Elias, GNZM	17 May 1999

References

External links

• Ministry of Justice - The Chief Justice
• Administrators of the Government