They will fill vacancies in Auckland and Manukau
Attorney-General Judith Collins has announced the appointment of two new judges to the Family Court.
Annette Gray and Annette Page will fill vacancies in Auckland and Manukau, respectively, with their swearing-in ceremonies scheduled for April and May.
Judge Annette Gray, who will take the bench in Auckland, has an extensive background in family law. She obtained her law degree from Victoria University before joining Phillips Fox in 1987. She later worked in the family and medical law sectors at Buddle Findlay before transitioning to Jan Clark Law, a specialist family law practice in Porirua, in 1994.
In 1999, she spent a year volunteering with Volunteer Service Abroad in the Solomon Islands. Upon returning to New Zealand in 2000, she established her practice as a family law specialist. Since 2007, she has served as the principal of Buchanan Gray, a family law firm.
Judge Gray also serves as District Inspector under the Mental Health Act and is a member of the panel of legal counsel for Hague Convention cases, which involve international child abduction matters. She will be sworn in on April 16.
Judge Annette Page, who will preside in Manukau, began her legal career in 1997 after being admitted to the bar. She initially worked as a junior barrister under Marie Dyhrberg KC before joining Smith and Partners in Waitākere. There, she practised various litigation work in the district and high courts.
Since 2010, she has worked as a barrister sole, focusing on all aspects of family law. She has also been involved with the New Zealand Law Society in various capacities and serves as the Waitākere regional representative for the family law section. Judge Page will be sworn in on May 1.
The Family Court addresses complex legal matters, including custody disputes, relationship property issues, and cases involving vulnerable individuals. Gray and Page's extensive experience in family law is expected to strengthen the judiciary and contribute to efficiently handling cases in their respective courts.
