Editing Politics of the Cook Islands (section)

==Judiciary==

{{Main|Judiciary of the Cook Islands}}

The judiciary is established by part IV of the Constitution, and consists of the [[High Court of the Cook Islands]] and the [[Cook Islands Court of Appeal]]. The [[Judicial Committee of the Privy Council]] serves as the final court of appeal.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.paclii.org/ck/courts.html |title=Pacific Courts - Cook Islands |publisher=PACLII |access-date=14 August 2020}}</ref> Judges are appointed by the [[King's Representative]] on the advice of the [[Cook Islands Executive Council|Executive Council]] as given by the Chief Justice and the Minister of Justice.<ref>''Constitution of the Cook Islands'', s52.</ref> Non-resident Judges are appointed for a three-year term;<ref>''Constitution of the Cook Islands'', s53.</ref> other Judges are appointed for life. Judges may be removed from office by the King's Representative on the recommendation of an investigative tribunal and only for inability to perform their office, or for misbehaviour.<ref>''Constitution of the Cook Islands'', s54.</ref>

With regard to the legal profession, [[Iaveta Short|Iaveta Taunga o Te Tini Short]] was the first Cook Islander to establish a law practice in 1968.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wfAGrkbnZjoC&pg=PA267|title=Cook Islands Politics: The Inside Story|last1=Davis|first1=Thomas R. A. H.|last2=Crocombe|first2=R. G.|date=1979|publisher=editorips@usp.ac.fj|isbn=9780908597000|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.trusteescookislands.com/team/|title=Team|work=Trustee Cook Islands|access-date=2018-03-16|language=en-US}}</ref> He would later become a Cabinet Minister (1978) and High Commissioner for the Cook Islands (1985).