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The lawyer who brought the original complaint against Justice
Bill Wilson is calling for a commission of inquiry.
Justice Wilson quit his post yesterday, before a full investigation
into allegations he sat on a court case involving a close friend
could take place.
Sue Grey said there are still plenty of unanswered question around
the case.
"There are a lot of questions about why this has all taken so long and why it ever got to where it got to in the first place, so I think there really does need to be an investigation," she said.
Today, Judicial Conduct Commissioner Sir David Gascoigne, said in light of the resignation, the three complaints against Wilson will be dropped and he would not pass on his decision in the case.
"Instead, I will take no further action until 5 November, when Justice Wilson's decision takes effect," Sir David said in a press release.
He will leave his post with a government payout of more than $900,000.
Last month, Justice Wilson successfully challenged in the High Court the appointment of a judicial panel to hear a case of misconduct against him.
The case was based on allegations that he failed to adequately disclose a business relationship with lawyer Alan Galbraith QC who was appearing before him three years ago in the Court of Appeal.
Justice Wilson will receive his existing entitlements, which include untaken sabbatical leave and retiring leave, with the exact amount yet to be calculated.
He will also get one year's salary, of $410,000, which will be taxable.
The Crown will pay Wilson's solicitor-client costs which to date have been calculated at $475,000.
The Crown is liable for his reasonable legal costs under the Judicial Conduct Commissioner and Judicial Conduct Act 2004.
"I believe this is the best outcome under the circumstances. It resolves an unprecedented situation in New Zealand's legal history," Collins said.
"To proceed with this case would have caused incalculable damage to confidence in the judiciary.
"Allowing the situation to continue would have meant considerably greater costs being paid by the taxpayer in relation to Justice Wilson's salary and legal fees for an indeterminate time into the future."
The Judicial Conduct process will cease following Justice Wilson's resignation, Collins said.
Earlier this year, Collins appointed a judicial conduct panel to investigate Justice Wilson over an alleged conflict of interest after he served as one of three Court of Appeal judges on the Saxmere wool growers' case.
In 2007 the Court of Appeal judges overturned a High Court ruling which had awarded the Saxmere group repayment of $8 million in levies from the former Wool Board.
However, it was later revealed Justice Wilson had a personal and business relationship with the Wool Board's lawyer Alan Galbraith QC and at the time of the hearing and it was alleged Justice Wilson owed Galbraith money.
The Supreme Court late last year ordered the decision be set aside and the case re-heard, on the grounds Justice Wilson and Galbraith's relationship could raise a perception of bias.
Wilson's lawyer said earlier this year that his client denied owing Galbraith any money and the judge had lodged papers challenging the legality of the judicial panel appointed to investigate his conduct.
That challenge was successful last month.
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