New Zealand Appoints Three New District Court Judges

Rohan Cochrane will serve as a District Court Judge at the Napier District Court, with his swearing-in scheduled for 11 March.

New Zealand has appointed three new District Court judges in a move aimed at strengthening the country’s judicial capacity and supporting the effective administration of justice across key regions.

Attorney-General Judith Collins announced the appointments of Rohan Cochrane, Lynn Hughes and Derek Whitehead, who will take up their positions at the Napier, Manukau and Kaikohe District Courts respectively in March.

The appointments bring extensive legal experience in family law, criminal law and youth justice, reflecting the broad range of cases handled by the District Court, which manages the majority of criminal, family and civil proceedings in New Zealand’s justice system.

Experienced family law specialist appointed to Napier

Rohan Cochrane will serve as a District Court Judge at the Napier District Court, with his swearing-in scheduled for 11 March.

Admitted to the bar in 1999, Cochrane has been a director at Family Law Specialists Ltd in Porirua since 2010. Prior to this role, he was a partner at Catriona Doyle and Rohan Cochrane Law Office.

Over his career, Cochrane has developed significant expertise in family law, including handling cases under the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, an international treaty designed to protect children from cross-border abduction by parents.

He has also served in several court-appointed roles including:

• Lawyer for the Child

• Lawyer for the Subject Person

• Lawyer to Assist the Court

Since 2015, he has been a member of the Legal Services Advisory Board, contributing to oversight of publicly funded legal services. He has also served as both convenor and member of New Zealand Law Society Standards Committees in the Wellington and central regions.

Criminal law expert joins Manukau District Court

Lynn Hughes, a barrister specialising in criminal law, will be sworn in as a District Court Judge at the Manukau District Court on 27 March.

Hughes was admitted to the bar in 1999 and began her legal career as Research Counsel at the Wellington District Court. She later practised as a litigation solicitor in New Plymouth before joining the Public Defence Service (PDS) in Manukau in 2004.

Her leadership experience includes serving as Public Defender for Manukau, where she managed the office until 2021, overseeing criminal defence operations in one of New Zealand’s busiest court jurisdictions.

Hughes has also been actively involved in legal governance and professional development through several organisations, including:

• The Law Association

• New Zealand Law Society Criminal Law Committee

• Legal Aid Performance Review Committee (co-chair since 2023)

• Legal Aid Provider Selection Committee (member since 2022)

She has contributed to legal education as a faculty member of the New Zealand Law Society Litigation Skills programme, and participated in the inaugural Pacific Litigation Skills Programme in 2025.

Long-serving Northland lawyer appointed to Kaikohe

Derek Whitehead will take up his role at the Kaikohe District Court, with his swearing-in set for 18 March.

Admitted in 1995, Whitehead began his career at Allen Needham & Co in Morrinsville before joining Le Pine & Co in Taupō, where he led the firm’s family law team.

He later moved to Henderson Reeves in Whangārei before establishing his own legal practice in the region, where he has worked since 2001, focusing primarily on family law.

Whitehead has played numerous roles within the justice system including:

• Senior Lawyer for Children

• Lawyer to Assist the Court

• Lawyer for the Subject Person

• Member of appointment and review panels for these roles

He has also served as a Youth Advocate since 2002, frequently appearing in specialised youth courts including Cross Over Court and Koti Tai Tamariki, which address cases involving young people involved in both care and protection and youth justice systems.

Beyond his legal career, Whitehead has been a member of the Te Hau Awhiowhio Otangarei Trust Board since 2005, an organisation providing social and community services to Māori communities in Te Tai Tokerau (Northland).

Strengthening the District Court system

The appointments come as the District Court continues to handle the majority of New Zealand’s legal proceedings, including criminal trials, family disputes, youth justice matters and civil claims.

The Government says the addition of experienced judges will help ensure the courts can manage workloads efficiently while delivering fair and timely justice across the country.