Name Judith Potter Role Judge | Education University of Auckland | |
Dame Judith Marjorie Potter DNZM CBE (born 1942) is a former High Court Judge in New Zealand.
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Career
Potter graduated from the University of Auckland in 1965, and went on to become a senior partner at law firm, Kensington Swan. She is the former President of the Auckland District Law Society and was the first woman president of the New Zealand Law Society.
On 20 March 1997 Potter was appointed as a judge of the High Court of New Zealand Potter has presided over several high-profile cases in her 15 years on the bench. One such case which prompted a mild rebuke from the United Nations Human Rights Committee was the criminal conviction of twelve-year-old Emelysifa Jessop for aggravated robbery. In 1998, Potter convicted and sentenced the girl to 4 years. When this conviction was overturned on grounds the judge had convicted Miss Jessop despite her not entering a plea, Potter presided over the retrial and sentenced the girl to 4 years and eight months.
Her previous roles include director of the Electricity Corporation, a director of the New Zealand Guardian Trust Company, chairwoman of the Broadcasting Standards Authority and a member of the Securities Commission.
In 2000 Potter issued an influential ruling balancing the rights of those alleging harassment and the rights of freedom of expression in Beadle v Allen. In 2007 Potter jailed website editor Vince Siemer for his continual breaches of a High Court injunction. Potter has been criticised in the media for sentences which were considered excessively lenient.
On 31 December 2012 Potter retired from the bench in New Zealand and accepted an appointment to the High Court of the Cook Islands.
Honours, titles and style
In the New Year Honours 1994 Potter was appointed a Commander of the The Order of the British Empire for services to the legal profession. and became Judith Potter, CBE.
On 20 March 1997 on appointment to the High Court of New Zealand became The Honourable Justice Judith Potter CBE.
On 27 August 2012 Potter was granted the right to retain the title of "The Honourable" for life in recognition of her service as a Judge of the High Court of New Zealand.
In the New Year Honours 2013 Potter was appointed a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit. and became The Honourable Justice Dame Judith Potter DNZM, CBE.