Niue Welcomes Newly Appointed Judge to High Court and Court of Appeal

The Minister for the Ministry of Social Services, Honourable Sonya Talagi, overseeing the Department of Justice, Lands, Survey, and Community Services, is pleased to announce the appointment of Judge Damian Stone as the new Judge of the Niue High Court and Court of Appeal.

Judge Damian Stone was appointed to the Māori Land Court on 25th March 2019. Based in Wellington, he is the resident Judge for the Tākitumu District of the Māori Land Court. He is also a member of the Waitangi Tribunal.

Before being appointed to the Māori Land Court, Judge Damian Stone was the Managing Partner of Kāhui Legal, a specialist Māori law firm. In that capacity he acted for a number of Māori clients around New Zealand on a range of issues, including Treaty of Waitangi settlement negotiations, Waitangi Tribunal claims, commercial negotiations and contract drafting, corporate and commercial law and litigation.

Prior to becoming a partner of Kāhui Legal, he worked for a large New Zealand law firm for 10 years and was also General Counsel for Te Ohu Kai Moana.

Judge Stone will be joining Chief Justice Craig Coxhead, Justice Miharo Armstrong and Justice Sarah Reeves as Judges of the Niue High Court.

The Iki Fakafili Lahi ha Niue/Chief Justice Craig T Coxhead expressed his gratitude to the Government of Niue for approving and endorsing the appointment of Judge Damian Stone. In acknowledging this appointment, Chief Justice Coxhead also paid tribute to the local Judiciary, stating “I would like to express my appreciation of the dedication and expertise of the local Judiciary in Niue.”

Download PDF Version