Chief District Court Judge

His Honour Judge Russell Johnson is the current Chief District Court Judge.

Chief Judge Johnson was educated at Kaitaia Primary School, Inglewood High School and Auckland University, graduating LLB, Dip.Crim. He practised law for 24 years in Auckland (save for 2½ years as a Crown Counsel in Hong Kong in the mid 1970’s) before being appointed to the District Court Bench in January 1993. He sat as a resident Judge in Waitakere, Auckland and Manukau District Courts. He was appointed Chief District Court Judge on 1 April 2005.

The Chief Judge is also a Judge of the Supreme Court of Pitcairn Islands, and a Judge-Advocate for the New Zealand Defence Forces.

He was an Officer of the Royal New Zealand Naval Volunteer Reserve for 25 years, being awarded the Volunteer Reserve Decoration (VRD) in 1987. He retired as Commanding Officer of the RNZNVR in Auckland in 1992 with the rank of Commander RNZNVR.

Judge Johnson is married, and a grandfather of five. His interests include yachting and nautical history.