Graham Speight
Encyclopedia
Sir Graham Davies Speight (21 July 1921 – 17 July 2008) was a New Zealand
High Court
judge
. He served as the acting Queen's Representative
in 1984.
Speight was born in Auckland, New Zealand, on 21 July 1921. He was educated at Newmarket School, Auckland Grammar School
and the University of Auckland
, where he earned his law degree
in 1942. Speight served in the New Zealand Army
from 1942 until 1946 following his graduation from Auckland University. He married his wife, Elizabeth Muriel Booth, in 1947. The couple had two children, a son and a daughter.
Speight served as the Crown Solicitor in Auckland from 1959 until 1966. He was appointed a High Court
judge
in 1966. He later served as the Chief Justice
of the Cook Islands
and the President of the Court of Appeal
of Fiji
from 1982 until 1988.
Sir Graham Speight died on 17 July 2008, at Eastcliffe Hospital in Auckland at the age of 86. He was survived by his wife, son and five grandchildren.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
High Court
High Court of New Zealand
The High Court of New Zealand is a superior court of New Zealand. It was established in 1841 and known as the Supreme Court of New Zealand until 1980....
judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
. He served as the acting Queen's Representative
Queen's Representative
The Queen's Representative is the formal title given to the representative of Queen Elizabeth II, as Queen of New Zealand, in the Cook Islands....
in 1984.
Speight was born in Auckland, New Zealand, on 21 July 1921. He was educated at Newmarket School, Auckland Grammar School
Auckland Grammar School
Auckland Grammar School is a state secondary school for years 9 to 13 boys in Auckland, New Zealand. It had a roll of 2,483 in 2008, including a number of boarders who live in nearby Tibbs' House, making it one of the largest schools in New Zealand...
and the University of Auckland
University of Auckland
The University of Auckland is a university located in Auckland, New Zealand. It is the largest university in the country and the highest ranked in the 2011 QS World University Rankings, having been ranked worldwide...
, where he earned his law degree
Law degree
A Law degree is an academic degree conferred for studies in law. Such degrees are generally preparation for legal careers; but while their curricula may be reviewed by legal authority, they do not themselves confer a license...
in 1942. Speight served in the New Zealand Army
New Zealand Army
The New Zealand Army , is the land component of the New Zealand Defence Force and comprises around 4,500 Regular Force personnel, 2,000 Territorial Force personnel and 500 civilians. Formerly the New Zealand Military Forces, the current name was adopted around 1946...
from 1942 until 1946 following his graduation from Auckland University. He married his wife, Elizabeth Muriel Booth, in 1947. The couple had two children, a son and a daughter.
Speight served as the Crown Solicitor in Auckland from 1959 until 1966. He was appointed a High Court
High Court of New Zealand
The High Court of New Zealand is a superior court of New Zealand. It was established in 1841 and known as the Supreme Court of New Zealand until 1980....
judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
in 1966. He later served as the Chief Justice
Chief Justice
The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of...
of the Cook Islands
Cook Islands
The Cook Islands is a self-governing parliamentary democracy in the South Pacific Ocean in free association with New Zealand...
and the President of the Court of Appeal
President of the Court of Appeal (Fiji)
Fiji's Court of Appeal is chaired by the President of the Court of Appeal. The Chief Justice of Fiji is not permitted to hold this position; in order to give the Court of Appeal a degree of independence from the High Court and the Supreme Court, the Chief Justice, who chairs both courts, is...
of Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
from 1982 until 1988.
Sir Graham Speight died on 17 July 2008, at Eastcliffe Hospital in Auckland at the age of 86. He was survived by his wife, son and five grandchildren.