Christopher John Hodson
is a New Zealand barrister and judge, Judge Advocate General of the
New Zealand Armed Forces
The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF; mi, Te Ope Kātua o Aotearoa, "Line of Defence of New Zealand") are the armed forces of New Zealand. The NZDF is responsible for the protection of the national security of New Zealand and her realm, promoti ...
, and the Chief Judge of the Court Martial of New Zealand.
Early life
Hodson was born in
Masterton, where he grew up on his family's hill country farm. He graduated from the
Victoria University of Wellington
Victoria University of Wellington ( mi, Te Herenga Waka) is a university in Wellington, New Zealand. It was established in 1897 by Act of Parliament, and was a constituent college of the University of New Zealand.
The university is well kno ...
in 1966 with an LLB degree.
Career
Hodson was admitted to the Bar in 1966, and from 1966–82, was a Partner in Major Gooding & Partners in
Masterton.
In 1983, Hodson became a partner in Macalister Mazengarb Parkin & Rose in
Wellington
Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by metr ...
, before commencing practice as a barrister sole in 1991, where he specialised in medical and military law. He was appointed
Queen's Counsel
In the United Kingdom and in some Commonwealth countries, a King's Counsel (post-nominal initials KC) during the reign of a king, or Queen's Counsel (post-nominal initials QC) during the reign of a queen, is a lawyer (usually a barrister o ...
in 1998.
[
He is Judge Advocate General of the New Zealand Armed Forces, and the Chief Judge of the Court Martial of New Zealand,Lawyer, former unionist on advisory panel]
The New Zealand Herald, 24 October 2014 and also vice-president of the
International Equestrian Federation
The International Federation for Equestrian Sports (, FEI) is the international governing body of equestrian sports.
The FEI headquarters are in Lausanne, Switzerland. An FEI code of conduct protects the welfare of the horses from physical abu ...
.
He served in the Territorial Force (reserve) of the
New Zealand Army, retiring as a lieutenant colonel in 1992.
[
]
Personal life
Hodson had three children with his first wife. In 1992, he married fellow judge and barrister Dame Lowell Goddard
Dame Lowell Patria Goddard, (born 25 November 1948) is a former New Zealand High Court judge, from 1995 to 2015. She is thought to be the first person of Māori ancestry to have been appointed to the High Court. In 1988, she was one of the fi ...
, who has a daughter from her first marriage to Sir John Scott, 5th Baronet, in 1969.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hodson, Christopher
Year of birth missing (living people)
Victoria University of Wellington alumni
New Zealand King's Counsel
People from Masterton
Living people