Sir John Joseph McGrath was born on March 10, 1945, in Wellington and died on October 19, 2018.
He was a judge of the Supreme Court of New Zealand, serving in that role from 2005 until 2015.
McGrath was also a judge of the Court of Appeal from 2000 to 2005, and the Solicitor-General of New Zealand from 1989 to 2000.
He attended Wanganui Collegiate School and graduated with an LLM from Victoria University of Wellington in 1968.
McGrath was a partner in Buddle Findlay, in Wellington, until he moved to the separate bar in 1984.
McGrath became Queen’s Counsel in 1987 and he was Solicitor-General between 1989 and 2000.
He was appointed to the Court of Appeal in July 2000 and to the Supreme Court in May 2005.
During 2007, McGrath was appointed a New Zealand Order of Merit.
The appointment was redesignated Knight Companion of that order in 2009.
He passed away at 73 years old.