Hon Christopher Finlayson
Attorney-General
23 August 2011
Media Statement
New Chief District Court Judge appointed
Auckland Judge Jan Marie Doogue has been appointed the new Chief District Court Judge, Attorney-General Christopher
Finlayson announced today.
Judge Doogue takes up her appointment on 1 September 2011, and will replace the late Chief Judge Russell Johnson who
died in office last month.
“Judge Doogue has the breadth of legal experience, skills and leadership abilities required for the Chief Judge
position,” Mr Finlayson said. “I am confident that she will make a significant contribution in the office.”
Judge Doogue was until recently the Northern Region Executive Judge, and is also an Alternate Environment Court Judge.
She was appointed as a Family Court Judge in 1994 and was warranted as a jury trial Judge in 2007. In the years from
1983 to 1992 she was a partner in two Auckland legal firms and in the two years immediately prior to her appointment to
the District Court Bench she practised as a barrister sole. In 2009 Judge Doogue served as President of the Commission
of the Hague Private Law Conference (Child Support Convention), and for a period in 2010 was the Acting Chief District
Court Judge.
ENDS