Te Ururoa Flavell

Maori Party MP for Waiariki Te Ururoa Flavell has welcomed the appointment of Frances Eivers as the eastern Bay of Plenty's newest family and district court judge.

"Frances not only brings with her extensive experience and knowledge of the law, but an understanding of things Maori and I'm sure she will be an asset to the people of the eastern bay, Waiariki and the country," Mr Flavell said.

"I am sure Frances will not only uphold the law in the eastern bay, but do it in a way that takes that community forward, after all Whakatane and Te Teko have been her home since she was a child so there's no doubt she really cares about that place and its people.

Mr Flavell also said it was "truly great" to see Ms Eivers follow in the footsteps of her mother Frances Jean Eivers who died recently.

"Frances' mother made a significant contribution to the bay in other fields and I'm sure she will be proud of her daughter's latest milestone and her return home to help the community that she herself cared so much about."

Ms Eivers opted to have her swearing in ceremony at Kokohinau Marae in Te Teko rather than at the local court house.

The 50-year-old mother of three and former student at Edgecumbe High School is a graduate of Auckland University's law school. Over the years, she has worked as a lawyer for the diplomatic service and a criminal and family lawyer for the law firms Buddle Bentley Tweed and Osborne Gray in Whakatane and Ronayne Hollister-Jones in Tauranga.