Thomas Eichelbaum
GBE QC | |
|---|---|
| 11th Chief Justice of New Zealand | |
| In office 1989 – 17 May 1999 | |
| Nominated by | David Lange |
| Appointed by | Sir Paul Reeves |
| Preceded by | Sir Ronald Davison |
| Succeeded by | Dame Sian Elias |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 17 May 1931 Königsberg, Germany |
| Died | 31 October 2018 (aged 87) Wellington, New Zealand |
| Spouse |
Vida Beryl Franz
(m. 1956; died 2013) |
Sir Johann Thomas Eichelbaum GBE PC QC (17 May 1931 – 31 October 2018) was a New Zealand jurist who served as the 11th Chief Justice of New Zealand.
Early life and family
Eichelbaum was born in
LLB in 1954.[3] In 1956, Eichelbaum married Vida Beryl Franz, and the couple went on to have three sons.[4]
Eichelbaum's father Walter was first cousin with Siegfried Eichelbaum, the husband of the artist Vera Chapman.[5]
Legal career
In 1978, Eichelbaum was appointed a
Queen's Counsel,[6] and from 1980 to 1982 he was President of the New Zealand Law Society. In 1982, Eichelbaum was appointed a judge of the High Court of New Zealand. The highest judicial position Eichelbaum held was in 1989 when he was appointed the Chief Justice of New Zealand; he retired from the Bench in 1999.[7][8]
Retirement
Following his retirement from the bench, Eichelbaum conducted investigations on a number of controversial topics. He chaired the 2000–2001 New Zealand Rugby Union both resigned.[8]
In 2001, he conducted a
earlier report by retired High Court judge, Sir Thomas Thorp. A New Zealand Law Journal editorial has stated that Eichelbaum had either not read all the children's statements (reviewing only those allowed by the trial judge) or that, "with respect, his judgment is at fault."[10]
On 7 October 2022 The Supreme Court of New Zealand quashed all of Peter Ellis' convictions for child sexual abuse.
On 6 February 1989, Eichelbaum was appointed a
Privy Council. Eichelbaum was a non-permanent judge of the Hong Kong SAR Court of Final Appeal and a part-time justice of the Supreme Court of Fiji and the Court of Appeal of Fiji.[8]
Eichelbaum died in Wellington on 31 October 2018, having been predeceased by his wife, Vida, Lady Eichelbaum, in 2013.[8][13]
References
- ISBN 0-19-558363-9.
- ^ "New Zealand, naturalisations, 1843–1981". Ancestry.com Operations. 2010. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
- ^ "NZ university graduates 1870–1961: Dr–E". Shadows of Time. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
- ^ "Sir Thomas Eichelbaum has died". New Zealand Law Society. 1 November 2018. Retrieved 2 November 2018.
- ISBN 9780864732279. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
- ^ "Appointment of Queen's Counsel" (16 November 1978) 100 New Zealand Gazette 3125 at 3127.
- ^ "Appointment of Chief Justice of New Zealand" (9 February 1989) 22 New Zealand Gazette 479 at 481.
- ^ a b c d "Former chief justice Sir Thomas Eichelbaum has died". New Zealand Herald. 1 November 2018. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
- ^ Francis, Ross (November–December 2007). "New Evidence in the Peter Ellis case" (PDF). New Zealand Law Journal. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 May 2008. Retrieved 25 March 2008.
- ISSN 0028-8373. Retrieved 27 April 2006.
- ^ "No. 51636". The London Gazette. 6 February 1989. p. 1.
- ^ "Honours and Awards" (16 February 1989) 27 New Zealand Gazette 613 at 614.
- ^ "Retired Chief Justice Sir Thomas Eichelbaum dies". Stuff.co.nz. 1 November 2018. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
External links
- Report of the Royal Commission on Genetic Modification
- Profiles of Royal Commission members, including Eichelbaum
- Report on Ellis Case
- Eichelbaum's curriculum vitae
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