Attorney-General Judith Collins has announced the appointment of two new District Court Judges, with Prudence McGuire and Christopher Macklin set to take up their roles in April and May respectively.
Prudence McGuire, a Rotorua-based barrister, brings more than three decades of legal experience since her admission to the bar in 1992. She has worked across private practice and prosecution roles, including time as a Crown and Senior Crown Prosecutor, before establishing herself as a barrister sole in 2008.
McGuire has extensive experience in both family and criminal law and currently serves on the Family Law Section Advisory Panel, as well as working as a Mental Health Advocate and Lawyer for Child. She will be based at the Palmerston North District Court and is scheduled to be sworn in on 21 April 2026.
Christopher Macklin, a Nelson-based barrister, has specialised in criminal and regulatory litigation since his admission to the bar in 2006. After an early role at Russell McVeagh, he joined the Rotorua Crown Solicitor’s office, Gordon and Pilditch, where he progressed to partner and later served as a Principal Crown Prosecutor. He established his own practice in 2023 and has also held a leadership role as convenor of the New Zealand Law Society’s Criminal Law Committee. Macklin will sit at the Nelson District Court and will be sworn in on 15 May 2026.
The appointments are part of ongoing efforts to strengthen the capacity and capability of New Zealand’s District Court bench.
