The Hon. (Rudolf) Martin Chemnitz Kriewaldt

Martin Chemnitz Kriewaldt served as a Justice of the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory from 1952 to 1960. Before that he served as an acting Justice from 1951 to 1952.

Justice Kriewaldt was born in Lobethal, South Australia on 26 October 1900 and after his father's death, moved to the United states where he studied at the University of California between 1918 and 1920. He then transferred to the University of Wisconsin where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts.

Justice Kriewaldt moved to Adelaide in 1923 and continued his legal studies at the University of Adelaide where he graduated with a Bachelor of Laws. he was eventually admitted to practice in 1926.

Justice Kriewaldt served in the Legal Branch of the Royal Australian Air Force between 1942 and 1946 and in 1951 was appointed as an acting Judge of the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory after Justice Wells became ill. His appointment was made permanent in 1952 upon Justice Well's resignation.

Justice Kriewaldt presided over the trial of two Czechs who were subsequently found guilty of the murder of a Darwin taxi driver. Justice Kriewaldt sentenced both to death and, on 7 August 1952, they were both executed in Fannie Bay Gaol, the last persons to be executed in the Northern Terrirtory.

Justice Kriewaldt was Chairman of the South Australian Baseball League from 1946 to 1951 and served as a Justice of the Supreme Court of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands and Supreme Court of Christmas Island.

Justice Kriewaldt became ill on 20 May 1960 during sittings of the Court in Alice Springs and was eventually flown to Adelaide where he died on 11 June 1960.

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