Ellen France

Dame Ellen Dolour France DNZM (née Larkin, born 1956) is a New Zealand jurist. She is currently a Justice of the Supreme Court, and was previously the president of the Court of Appeal.

The Honourable

Dame Ellen France

DNZM
France in 2016
Justice of the Supreme Court
Assumed office
22 July 2016
Preceded bySir John McGrath
Personal details
Born
Ellen Dolour Larkin

1956 (age 63–64)
Spouse(s)Hon. Justice Simon France
Alma materUniversity of Auckland
Queen's University

Biography

Ellen Dolour Larkin was born to parents who were both teachers. A legal career was suggested to her by her career counsellor and her response was "alright, I'll try that."[1] She graduated LLB from the University of Auckland in 1981, and obtained her masters from Queen's University in Ontario, Canada in 1983.[2] From 1982, she worked as a solicitor for the Auckland practice of Subritzky, Tetley Jones & Way.[2]

From 1984, she was a legal adviser in the Department of Justice Law Reform Division, followed by work for the Crown Law Office.[3]

In 2002, she was appointed to the High Court in Auckland. She received her appointment as a judge to the Court of Appeal in June 2006.[2] She was appointed president of the Court of Appeal of New Zealand with effect from 1 September 2014, succeeding Sir Mark O'Regan.[2] She made history in August 2015 when the Appeal Court bench was made up by three women when she sat with Justice Christine French and Justice Helen Winkelmann.[4]

In the 2016 Queen's Birthday Honours, France was appointed a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the judiciary.[5]

France met her husband at the Auckland University halls in the late 1970s. Justice Simon France is a judge at the High Court.[1]

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References
  1. Thomas, Rachel. "Damehoods for Karen Sewell, QSO, and Justice Ellen France". The Dominion Post. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  2. Finlayson, Christopher (20 June 2014). "New Supreme Court and Court of Appeal appointments" (Press release). Wellington: Government of New Zealand. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  3. "The Judges of the Court of Appeal". Courts of New Zealand. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  4. "Milestone for Court of Appeal - an all women bench". The New Zealand Herald. 7 August 2015. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  5. "Queen's 90th Birthday honours list 2016". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 6 June 2016. Retrieved 25 March 2018.
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