To celebrate this significant occasion a special evening event was organised where women judges of the Māori Land Court and the District Court talked to Māori women practitioners about their career paths and how they became judges.
If the iwi come to a Court for a resolution, then in my view it is incumbent on us to make a decision, as the parties have ended up in Court, fully cognisant that by being there, the ultimate decision is no longer theirs to be made, and that it is now a matter for the Court to decide.
Documents/Judges-corner-articles/JWI-ACPECT-Presentation-2022.pdf (540 kb)
Succession is confirmed by a judge or registrar, and the whakapapa to land and landowners become part of the permanent court record.
Terms used in succession Wira Will A will is a legal document that states how a person wants their estate (finances, assets, property) to be managed and distributed after they pass away.
To avoid doubt, a further estimate is only required if it becomes evident that the total approved amount for Special Aid will be exceeded. 21.
Documents/Practice-notes/2023.10.17-MLC-Special-Aid-Practice-Note-FINAL.pdf (367 kb)
And that is what I did. I’ve been a judge for nearly four years now. I’m grateful that my father got to see me become a judge.
If someone had told me back when Boys II Men were number 1 that I would eventually become a Judge of the Maori Land Court, I would have laughed at them and told them to go to the “End of the Road” (or words to that effect).
The hope is that you can come to a decision about how to move forward without legal involvement.
I sympathise and agree, it is a disheartening position for us all to be in. But we have come to a time now where we must all take action; we must continue with the efforts for the survival of our language.
A summary of the Court orders to be sought to determine the owners and status of the land.
