New Zealand Attorney General and Minister for Environment and Trade, David Parker has appointed former Manu Samoa prop Michael Mika as a District Court Judge.
Judge Mika was one of seven new District Court judges appointed by Hon. David Parker, to replace sitting Judges who have reached retirement age.
The 52 year old played 15 tests for Manu Samoa between 1995 and 1999.
Mika first played for Samoa during the 1995 Rugby World Cup quarter-finals against South Africa. He was again part of the 1999 Rugby World Cup roster, playing three matches in the tournament, with his last international cap being the match against Wales at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff.
Mika played Super Rugby for Otago Highlanders between 1996 – 1998 and for Provincial he made 49 appearances for Otago and 14 for Southland.
Judge Mika graduated from Otago University, began his career with O’Driscoll and Marks Solicitors in Dunedin. He joined Cruickshank Pryde Lawyers in Invercargill and spent four years working for Drew Jones Solicitors in England.
He returned to Invercargill in 2003 and worked for Preston Russell as a Crown Prosecutor, and became a Director at that firm.
He is a SANZAAR Judicial Technical Advisor and performs the same role on the World Rugby Judicial Panel. He is also a Judicial Officer of the Oceania Rugby Judicial Panel.
Judge Mika will be sworn in on 8 March 2021.