Justice Hansen - DCNZM for service to the judiciary

2/6/2008

Retired High Court judge Justice John Hansen (1957-62) has been awarded the Distinguished Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (DCNZM) in today’s Queen’s Birthday honours list.

Justice John Hansen during his valedictory speech in the Dunedin High Court in March this year

Currently in England, following the New Zealand cricket team, John noted the award would be a cause for celebration in what had otherwise been “an ordinary week.”

‘‘It will be nice to celebrate. This week has mainly been about commiserations,’’ he said.

Born in Fairlie, John moved to Dunedin with his family when he was nine. After his time at Otago Boys’, he graduated from the University of Otago with an LLB in 1968 and practised as a lawyer in the city before being appointed a magistrate in Hong Kong in 1979. A decade later, he returned to New Zealand and a post as Master (associate judge) of the High Court in Christchurch.

He became a High Court judge in 1993 and often presided over civil and criminal cases in the High Court at Dunedin. John has also been a regular member of the criminal appeal division of the Court of Appeal, was a member of the Supreme Court Rules Committee for 10 years, initiated case management reforms, and worked closely with the Ministry of Justice and the Department for Courts to improve access to justice and timely decision-making.

John has also been closely involved with rugby and cricket, as a player and administrator, and is the code of conduct appeals commissioner for the International Cricket Council and chairman of the Final Independent Appeal Authority for the Rugby World Cup.

Asked his reaction to his Queen’s Birthday honour, John replied it was a ‘‘very great privilege and a recognition of the position I have held, but I also see it as an honour for all the people I have worked with over the years - lawyers, court staff and others.’’

John is a Friend of the Foundation.