February 19, 2018
Taumaunu promoted in military courts
District Court Judge Heemi Taumaunu has been named deputy judge advocate general of the Armed Forces.
In that role he will investigate complaints by the members of the armed forces, appoint judge advocates to sit in courts-martial, and consider and report on the proceedings of courts-martial.
Judge Taumaunu, from Ngati Porou and Ngai Tahu, has been a judge of the Court Martial since 2012, and now becomes its deputy chief judge.
He currently sits in Auckland District Court and was instrumental in the development of rangatahi courts for young Maori offenders.
Before becoming a lawyer he was a regular force cadet and served as a soldier and later a non-commissioned officer in the Royal NZ Signals Corp.
Attorney-General David Parker has also appointed District Court Judge Grant Powell a Judge of the High Court.
During his career as a lawyer Justice Powell was a partner in firms with Justice Joe Williams.
He played a significant role in representing claimants before the Waitangi Tribunal and assisting in their settlement negotiations.
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