The new judge has Family Court jurisdiction and will be sworn in in October
An Auckland barrister specialising in family law has been appointed as a new district court judge.
Christine Montague began practising in Auckland in 1987 after receiving her degree from Otago University. In her career, she has handled matters related to wills, estates, trusts, conveyancing and relationship property, among others.
Her experience includes tackling Care of Children Act matters such as parenting/care arrangements, relocation and other guardianship disputes. She has also taken on cases involving property division, de facto relationships, pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements, spousal maintenance, paternity, adoptions (including overseas adoptions) and domestic violence.
Montague has also been involved in hearings under the Children, Young Persons & Their Families Act 1989
In 1988, she was admitted to the bar; in 1997, she became a partner. Later on, she chose to focus specifically on family law as a barrister sole. Since 2002, she has regularly been appointed as a lawyer for child and a lawyer to assist the court by the Family Court.
Montague established family law-specialist chambers North Shore Legal Chambers in 2005, the same year she became the North Shore family law section representative for the Arbitrators and Mediators’ Institute of New Zealand Inc.
She will have Family Court jurisdiction when she takes the bench, according to Attorney-General David Parker.
According to Chief District Court Judge Heemi Taumaunu, Montague will be sworn in on October 20 at the North Shore District Court. The ceremony will commence with a powhiri.
She will be based in Wellington.
Christine Montague
