Michael John Albert BrownCNZM (19 August 1937 – 2 April 2015), commonly known as Mick Brown, was a New Zealand judge. In 1980, he became the first Māori to be appointed as a District Court judge, and he was later the first principal Youth Court judge.
Early life and family
Born in the Far North in 1937,[1] Brown affiliated to Ngāti Kahu, Te Aupōuri, Te Rarawa and Ngāpuhi.[2] His father was elderly and his mother died in Auckland from tuberculosis when Brown was one year old. He was subsequently fostered by the Flood family in Mount Albert.[1] Brown's knee was affected by tuberculosis,[1] and he spent three years between 1948 and 1951 at the Wilson School for disabled children in Takapuna, where he was friends with Bruce McLaren.[3]
Brown initially pursued a career in teaching, but he was drawn to the law by a love of debating. He studied law at the University of Auckland, where he became friends with other law students including David Lange, Anand Satyanand, Sian Elias, Jim McLay and Doug Graham.[1] After practising law in Auckland, Brown was appointed as a judge of the District Court in 1980,[5] becoming the first Māori to hold that position.[1][notes 1]
Following the Queen Street riot in December 1984, Brown acquitted DD Smash lead singer Dave Dobbyn of charges of behaving in a manner likely to cause violence against person or property and using insulting language.[6]
In 1989 Brown was appointed the first principal judge of the Youth Court, a specialist division of the District Court, and held that office until 1995.[1]
University governance
Brown served as a member of the University of Auckland Council for 15 years and was the university's chancellor from 1986 to 1991. He was also pro vice-chancellor (Māori) at the university until 2005.[7]
^Ken Mason (Ngāi Tahu) was the first Maori to be appointed to the judiciary as a Stipendary Magistrate (later designated District Court Judge) in June 1970. He was, therefore, the first Maori judicial officer.[citation needed]
^"Old, old boys' luncheon"(PDF). Quarterly. 7 (4). Mount Albert Grammar School: 25. 2012. Archived from the original(PDF) on 24 January 2015. Retrieved 4 April 2015.