Supreme Court Justice faces Judicial Conduct Panel

The Herald reports:

The Judicial Conduct Commissioner says there should be further investigation into the conduct of Supreme Court judge Justice Bill Wilson in the long running Saxmere wool case.

The commissioner, Sir David Gascoigne, has received three complaints about Justice Wilson’s conduct in the Saxmere wool case.

Today he said there was no basis for dismissing the case.

However, he said he was unable to take the matter any further in a preliminary examination, and recommended a Judicial Conduct Panel examine the issue.

The recommendation would go to the Attorney-General.

Justice Wilson, in a statement released shortly after the commissioner’s, said he intended to speak with the Chief Justice early next week.

I have no doubt the Acting Attorney-General (Judith Collins acts on this issue) will agree to set up a judicial conduct panel.

I think the time has come for Justice Wilson to resign and return to practising as a lawyer. The Judicial Conduct Panel would probably hear most evidence in public, and would be effectively a trial of the Judge. That would be a very painful process to go through for him. His comments about talking to the Chief Justice indicate he must be seriously considering this.