Top Queens' Counsel Says Supreme Court At Serious Fault
LawFuel.co.nz - NZ Law News - Top Queens' Counsel Dr Jim Farmer has said that the Supreme Court is at serious fault in the number of cases it handles and with some of the decisions it makes.Lawfuel has previously reported Dr Farmer's strident criticisms of the Court in his blog posting -
As arguably the leading barrister in New Zealand, Dr Farmer told TVNZ's "Court Report" programme that the Supreme Court were hearing too many cases and giving leave on too many cases, rather than dealing with cases of public importance and dealing with constitutional and other issues.The Morse case, involving the burning of the New Zealand flag at an ANZAC dawn ceremony and which created considerable controversy when the court overruled the lower courts in finding the appellant's conduct did not amount of offensive behaviour.
The decisoin showed a "complete lack of sensitivity" in the decision by the Supreme Court."How on earth they could give that judgment, I really don't know," Dr Farmer said.
The case did not fit the time or the community values. The Telecom decision that Dr Farmer appeared for the Commerce Commission on was "superficial" and didn't get to grips with important guidance and policy issues that were argued before the Court.
ENDS