Top jurist Sir Ivor Richardson dies
Rt Hon Sir Ivor Richardson has died aged 84.
A former president of the Court of Appeal, Rt Hon Sir Ivor Richardson, has died aged 84.
His death occurred at Wellington Hospital's oncology ward on December 29 after a short illness.
He was appointed a judge of the then Supreme Court in 1977 and almost immediately appointed to the Court of Appeal, where he served from 1978-2002.
After obtaining his LLB at the University of Canterbury and his LLM and doctorate at the University of Michigan, Sir Ivor became a partner in an Invercargill firm, Macalister Brothers, from 1957 to 1963.
From 1963-1966, he served as Crown Counsel in the Crown Law Office. From there, he joined the law faculty at Victoria University, where he was professor for six years and served as dean.
Between 1973 and 1977, he was a partner in one of New Zealand’s leading commercial firms, Watts & Patterson.
Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson QC has paid tribute to Sir Ivor and expressed the government’s condolences to his family.
"It is hard to think of anyone who has made a more substantive contribution to the law and social policy than Sir Ivor Richardson,” Mr Finlayson says.
“His was a career marked by excellence in everything he did.”
Mr Finlayson says Sir Ivor’s contribution to New Zealand went beyond the law.
He chaired the Royal Commission on Social Policy from 1986-88, was responsible for the organisational review of Inland Revenue in 1993-94 and was on the council of Victoria University, where he was chancellor from 1984-86.
“Sir Ivor was unfailingly courteous and pleasant to appear before. But if you weren’t on top of your material, his questions would destroy your case very quickly,” Mr Finlayson says.
“New Zealand has been fortunate to have someone of Sir Ivor’s calibre serving at the highest levels of the judiciary and in the other areas in which he worked.”
Sir Ivor was survived by his wife, Jane, Lady Richardson, and three daughters. Helen Phillips, Megan Vranken and Sarah Richardson.
Nevil Gibson
Sat, 03 Jan 2015
Sat, 03 Jan 2015
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Top jurist Sir Ivor Richardson dies
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