She will rehear proceedings under Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act
Helen Winkelmann, New Zealand’s chief justice, has announced an acting warrant for the appointment of Justice Christine Grice as an acting judge of the New Zealand High Court from 1 October 2026 to 31 December 2027.
Cindy Kiro, New Zealand’s governor-general, acted on the advice of Chris Bishop, New Zealand’s attorney-general, in making the judicial appointment.
According to a media statement from the New Zealand courts, the appointment aims to allow Grice to rehear specific proceedings under the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act 2011, over which she used to preside.
The New Zealand courts’ media statement provided that the appointment will also enable Grice to help the High Court deal with its wider workload.
According to information on the High Court’s judges on the website for the courts of New Zealand, Justice Grice is based in Wellington. She has sat as a judge of the High Court of the Cook Islands. She has experience in commercial litigation.
At the New Zealand Law Society, she served as executive director from 2008 until her appointment as a High Court judge. Before that, she acted as the law society’s president from 2000 to 2003.
In Hamilton, Grice joined Harkness Henry in 1981 and went into partnership. She began working at the law firm of Fell and Harley in Nelson in 1978. She earned her LLB with honours from the University of Canterbury.
Here are some other announcements regarding judicial appointments to the High Court of New Zealand.
On 28 August 2026, Attorney-General Bishop announced and Chief Justice Winkelmann welcomed the appointment of Auckland barrister Sarah Elizabeth Wroe as an associate judge of the Auckland High Court as of 14 September 2026.
On 26 August 2026, Winkelmann announced the appointments of Cheryl Gwyn and Peter Churchman as acting judges of the High Court, pursuant to acting warrants.
On 24 July 2026, Bishop announced the appointment of Edward David (Ed) Crook, an Auckland barrister and solicitor, as an Auckland High Court judge as of 24 August 2026.
On 24 April 2026, Bishop announced the appointment of Rachel Julienne Sussock as an Auckland High Court judge, effective on 1 June 2026.
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