New Principal Family Court Judge appointed

Judge La-Verne King, District Court Judge of Whangarei, has been appointed as the new Principal Family Court Judge, Attorney-General Chris Bishop announced today.

Judge King (Ngatikahu ki Whangaroa and Ngati Paoa) was admitted to the Bar in 1989. In 1994 along with (now) Principal Youth Court Judge Ida Malosi and (now) Judge Ali'imuamua Sandra Alofivae she established the first Māori and Pasifika women law firm, KAM Legal.

In 2007 she returned to the Far North and went on to establish Doubtless Bay Law Limited in response to the many and varied legal needs of the local community. She was appointed as Youth Advocate in 1992, Counsel for Child in 1994, District Inspector for Mental Health in 2003 and Visiting Justice in 2009. In August 2018 she was appointed a member of the Independent Panel considering the 2014 Family Justice Reforms.

Judge King was appointed to the District Court Bench in 2019 and throughout her judicial career has sat primarily in the Family and Youth Courts in Northland. In 2021 she became the Family Court Liaison Judge for the Northland region.

Judge King will commence her appointment as Principal Family Court Judge in November following the retirement of Judge Jackie Moran who has held the role since 2018.