New Zealand Executive Government News Release Archive

The Minister of Justice, Hon D.A.M. Graham, today announced the appointment of Palmerston North Barrister Christopher Pierard Somerville as a District Court Judge.

Judge Somerville will be sworn in at Palmerston North District Court on 9 May and will sit at Christchurch from 10 June.

Judge Somerville has been a Barrister Sole since 1991 specialising in family, civil and resource management work.

He has practised in Palmerston North for a total of 18 years. Prior to that he spent five years in general practice in Dannevirke and two years specialising in family law in Wellington.

Judge Somerville is a member of the NZ Law Society, the NZ Bar Association and the Resource Management Law Association. He is an Associate member of the Planning Institute of NZ.

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