Sir Patrick Desmond Mahony KNZM is a former New Zealand judge. He served as principal judge of the Family Court from 1985 to 2004.
Sir Patrick Mahoney | |
|---|---|
| 2nd Principal Family Court judge | |
| In office 1985–2004 | |
| Preceded by | Peter Trapski |
| Succeeded by | Peter Boshier |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Patrick Desmond Mahony |
| Education | St Patrick's College, Silverstream |
| Alma mater | Victoria University of Wellington |
| Profession |
|
Biography
editFrom 1950 to 1953, Mahoney was educated at St Patrick's College, Silverstream, where he was proxime accessit to the dux in his final year.[1] He studied law at Victoria University of Wellington, graduating with a Bachelor of Laws degree in 1968.[2] He worked for a Wellington law firm, primarily working in the area of corporate law.[3]
In 1978, Mahony was appointed to the bench as a stipendary magistrate (now called District Court judge) based in Auckland.[1] He was one of the original appointments to the Family Court of New Zealand when it was established in 1981, and in 1985 he became the principal judge of that court.[4] He was intimately involved in work that led to the Domestic Violence Act 1995, and in 1996 he established the Family Violence Taskforce.[4] Mahony retired as principal Family Court judge in 2004, and was succeeded in that role by Peter Boshier.[5] Mahony continued as a part-time acting District Court judge until 2010.[6][7][8][9]
Following his retirement from the Family Court, Mahony served as a member of the New Zealand Parole Board, and succeeded Anand Satyanand as chair of the confidential forum for former psychiatric patients.[3]
Mahony's wife, Shirley, Lady Mahony, died on 11 August 2023.[10]
Honours and awards
editIn 1990, Mahony received the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal.[11] In the 2004 New Year Honours, he was appointed a Distinguished Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to the Family Court.[12] Following the reintroduction of titular honours by the New Zealand government in 2009, Mahony accepted redesignation as a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit.[13] In 2016, Mahony was named old boy of the year by his old high school, St Patrick's College.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b c "St Pat's old boy of the year 2016". Catholic Archdiocese of Wellington. April 2017. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
- ^ "Roll of graduates 1968 (January to June)". Calendar 1969 (PDF). Victoria University of Wellington. p. 461. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
- ^ a b "Old boy of the year". St Patrick's College Old Boys' Association. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
- ^ a b Thompson, Wayne (31 December 2003). "New Year honours: Patrick Mahony". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
- ^ "New principal judge named in Family Court". The New Zealand Herald. 3 February 2004. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
- ^ "Acting District Court judge appointed". New Zealand Gazette. No. 173. 18 December 2003. p. 4772. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
- ^ "Acting District Court judges appointed". New Zealand Gazette. No. 42. 11 May 2006. p. 1121. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
- ^ "Acting District Court judges appointed". New Zealand Gazette. No. 76. 24 April 2008. p. 2114. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
- ^ "Acting District Court judges appointed". New Zealand Gazette. No. 20. 19 February 2009. p. 472. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
- ^ "Lady Mahony obituary". The New Zealand Herald. 14 August 2023. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
- ^ Taylor, Alister; Coddington, Deborah (1994). Honoured by the Queen – New Zealand. Auckland: New Zealand Who's Who Aotearoa. p. 238. ISBN 0-908578-34-2.
- ^ "New Year honours list 2004". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 31 December 2003. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
- ^ "Special honours list 1 August 2009". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 5 April 2011. Retrieved 31 October 2022.