Saxmere Company Ltd v Wool Board Disestablishment Company Ltd (No 2) - [2010] 1 NZLR 76

Administrative law — Natural justice — Apparent bias — Business and personal relationship between judge and counsel — Counsel member of independent Bar — Whether and when judge to recuse self — Whether breach of non-statutory guidelines for judges relevant — Whether judge beholden to counsel — Fair-minded lay observer — Information about legal system to be attributed to observer.

Courts — Judiciary — Requirement to obtain permission from Chief High Court Judge for other employment — Whether applicable to judges of Court of Appeal or Supreme Court — Observation — Judicature Act 1908, s 4(2A).

Courts — Recusal — Apparent bias — Business and personal relationship between judge and counsel — Counsel member of independent Bar — Whether and when judge to recuse self — Whether breach of non-statutory guidelines for judges relevant — Whether judge beholden to counsel — Fair-minded lay observer — Information about legal system to be attributed to observer — Disclosure by judge.