Auckland Family Court Judge Peter Boshier took over as the new Principal Family Court Judge from Judge Patrick Mahony on 13 March.

Judge Boshier graduated with a LLB (Hons) from Victoria University, Wellington in 1975. He worked first as a staff solicitor for the Wellington firm of Macalister, Mazengarb, Parkin and Rose before becoming a partner in 1979.

Judge Boshier continued in partnership in the firm’s litigation section until his appointment to the Auckland District Court Bench in 1988. His judicial work has covered Family and Youth Courts together with criminal jurisdiction in summary matters.

Judge Boshier has written and taught extensively in the field of child offenders, that is, those committing serious crime who are too young to be charged. He has a wish to see meaningful interventions taking place with this high risk group of children. In March 2000, along with others, he set up the Tamaki Pathways Trust. A programme for youth at risk in Auckland, the Trust currently has a three-year contract with the Ministry of Justice and handles 40 at risk youth annually.

In August 2002 Judge Boshier took up a secondment as Visiting Fellow, Pacific Judicial Education Programme in Suva, Fiji having undertaken previous Judicial training on juvenile justice and family violence in Samoa (April 2000), Vanuatu (November 2001) and Suva (March 2002). He returned to sitting duties in the Auckland Family Court earlier this month.