Strictly Obiter’s quiz for the recently-returned-to-work

Most of these can be Googled.  Try not to.

 

Which famous New Zealand case:

• Featured a handsome German Shepherd named Ben?
• Was declared the worst New Zealand Supreme Court decision in an article by Jessica Palmer and Andrew Geddis?
• Saw a Latvian widow “mistakenly” sell land to her milkman?
• Featured a simple nullity?
• Took so long that the Ministry of Justice took out a life insurance policy on the judge hearing it?

 

Which (current or former) Chief Justice of New Zealand:

• Died at sea?
• Was Premier of New Zealand?
• Shared a name with a famous Saturday Night Live alum?
• Was the last Chief Justice to serve in World War 2?
• Had a Masters from Stanford?

 

Explain under what circumstances a High Court Judge could give a minority decision, with the majority decision being given by people without law degrees.  (EDIT: extreme bonus points if you can do this because my proposed answer has been debunked.)

 

How many current High Court judges (including those in the appellate courts):

• Were formerly Associate Judges?
• Were formerly District Court Judges?
• Were formerly Law Commissioners?

 

Are there more High Court judges (including those in the appellate courts) currently on the bench who used to hold warrants as Crown solicitors, or who were formerly partners at Russell McVeagh?

 

Solve these cryptic crossword clues:

• Milne’s Robin can’t be beat? He’s on the bench. (11,7)
• A colloquial winner hesitates then gives brief thank you for the impermissible litigation funding. (9)
• Court is seen when reverse father joins the sound of bells. (6)
• Two Dams Hewn for justice. (6,5)
• Junior royals take in subcontinent’s cricket league and reveal Lands’ outcome. (9)
• Holding proportion. (5)

 

Put these statutes in order from smallest number of sections to largest number of sections (counting only solely-numbered sections ie. s 30 counts, s 30A does not count).

• Evidence Act 2006
• Crimes Act 1961
• Interpretation Act 1999

 

Name as many New Zealand Queen’s Counsel who have taken silk from 2013 onwards as you can.  Write as many as you can/want but be sure they’re correct.  When you want to stop, do so.  Then check your answers.  If all right, you get the same points as your number of answers.  If you get just one wrong, then you get no points.

 

What was the last year to have only one volume of the New Zealand Law Reports?

 

For years the leading textbook on the law of contract in New Zealand was Burrows, Finn and Todd, but now (some of) the authors have changed.  What are the surnames of the three authors of the latest version?

 

What is the name of the High Court (or former Supreme Court) judge in New Zealand who held their position for the shortest period of time?

 

Name a New Zealand judgment with a measurement of length in the title (bonus point if you get one that I haven’t thought of).

 

What bench in New Zealand wears blue robes?

 

Austin Nichols & Co Ltd v Stichting Lodestar is a frequently cited case in New Zealand for the principles of a general appeal.  What is a stichting?

 

Which two Crown Solicitor’s offices do not have a website for their law firm? (Name the regions.)

 

What word or words link?

• A current High Court judge and a seminal case on “regall authority”.
• A present-day dean of a New Zealand law school and a former Prime Minister.
• The leading case on sentencing discounts for guilty pleas and a famous mountain.
• A 2016 film set in the DC Universe and a group of Legislative Council members appointed in 1950.
• The first President of the permanent Court of Appeal and the office of the Crown Solicitor at Timaru.

 

The answers are here!