Denis Pain

Denis Blake Pain (7 January 1936 – 6 July 2019) was a New Zealand jurist and sports administrator. He was a judge of the District Court from 1970 to 1990, subsequently serving as deputy director of the Serious Fraud Office. In the 1980s and 1990s, he was chef d'équipe of the New Zealand eventing team at four world championships and Olympic Games.

Early life and family Born in Hokitika on 7 January 1936, Pain was the son of Catherine Mary Pain (née Brown) and Thomas Percival Pain. He was educated at Whangarei Boys' High School, and went on to study law at Auckland University College, graduating LLB in 1959.

On 20 December 1961, Pain married Elizabeth MacDonald, and the couple went on to have three children.

Legal career After completing his university studies, Pain worked as a barrister and solicitor in Auckland, and was also a part-time law lecturer at the University of Auckland between 1960 and 1970. In 1970, he was called to the bench as a stipendary magistrate of the Magistrates' Court, becoming a judge of the District Court in 1980 when Magistrates' Courts were replaced by District Courts.

Between 1986 and 1990, Pain was a member of the New Zealand Council of Legal Education.

Death Pain died in Auckland on 6 July 2019.