7 Oct 2015

High profile lawyer banned in Cook Islands

8:48 pm on 7 October 2015

Cook Islands lawyer and former MP Norman George has been banned indefinitely from appearing in the country's land Court division.

The ban comes after Mr George is said to have failed to obey a three-year suspension imposed in 2013.

In handing down his decision, Chief Justice Tom Weston made the exception that Mr George could appear on his own behalf or that of his wife.

Mr George has appeared in the land court earlier this year, flouting the orginal suspension.

That suspension came after five complaints about his behaviour as a lawyer were made in 2013.

The Chief Justice said that the complaints showed a pattern of conduct by Mr George.

The land division suspension would have expired in September 2016.