The Boss of New Zealand's Judges!

The Chief Justice of New Zealand is like the captain of a ship, but instead of sailing the seas, they lead all the judges in the country! They are the boss of the Supreme Court, which is the highest court in New Zealand. This special job is also in charge of the judges in a place called Tokelau. It's a very important job that helps keep things fair for everyone.

When the Chief Justice is in charge, they listen carefully to all the important cases. They make sure that the laws are followed correctly. Sometimes, if there isn't a Governor-General (who is like the Queen's representative), the Chief Justice can even step in to do that job!

They are called the 'Administrator of the Government' when they do this. It's like being a superhero who can do two very important jobs!

How does someone become the Chief Justice? The Governor-General picks them, but they do it after talking with the Prime Minister, who is like the country's leader. The current Chief Justice is Dame Helen Winkelmann. She started her important job on March 14, 2019. Before her, Dame Sian Elias was the Chief Justice, but she had to retire when she turned 70, which is the rule for judges.

The Chief Justice is super important because they are the most senior judge. This means they are senior to all other judges. They help make sure that the courts are fair places where people can get justice. They are like the ultimate referee in a big game, making sure everyone plays by the rules and that the game is fair for all the players.