John Levy MacDuff

John Levy MacDuff MC (11 December 1905 – 11 July 1963) was a New Zealand-born lawyer and magistrate. He served as Chief Justice of Fiji from 1962 until his death the following year.

MacDuff was born in Wellington, New Zealand on 11 December 1905.^[1][2] He was educated at Wellington College before studying at Victoria University College.^[3] He subsequently worked a barrister and solicitor.^[2]

During World War II he joined the 27th Machine-Gun Battalion. He was awarded the Military Cross in January 1943 for his efforts in the Western Desert campaign in 1942, and was mentioned in dispatches.^[4][2] He went on to serve as the battalion's Commanding Officer between September 1943 and February 1944, before becoming Commanding Officer of the 25th Battalion, a post he held until June 1944. After leaving the army, he was appointed Assistant Legal Advisor to the Western Pacific High Commission in Fiji in late 1944.^[4]

Shortly after arriving in Fiji, MacDuff became Acting Solicitor-General. He served as a District Magistrate between 1946 and 1948, before becoming a Chief Magistrate, a post he held until relocating to Kenya to serve as a puisne judge in 1953.^[4]

MacDuff returned to Fiji in 1962 to become Chief Justice, a role he held until his death at his home in Suva the following year.^[4]