30 July 2013

McKenzie Friend

Paki Toia, the prisoner currently bringing a case against the Department of Corrections for breaches of the Bill of Rights, has Arthur Taylor, a fellow prisoner as his McKenzie friend.

A McKenzie friend is someone who sits alongside the litigant and assists them in their case.

They quietly give advice on any aspect of the case. Toia is conducting his case from prison by video link with the court.

It would mean that friends Toia and Taylor were in the same room at the same time. Although the Judge has allowed this, the Department has deemed it to be too much of a security risk to have them in the same room, although normally they would be allowed to associate.

ENDS

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