Freedom Under Law (FUL) has announced the appointment of retired Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) Judge Trevor Gorven to its board, expressing confidence in his decades of legal expertise and commitment to constitutional democracy.

FUL board chairperson Azhar Cachalia welcomed the appointment.

“Judge Gorven brings exceptional judicial experience and a longstanding commitment to constitutional democracy and public service. His insight and experience will be a valuable addition to FUL’s board, and we are delighted to welcome him,” Cachalia said.

Gorven holds BA and LLB degrees from the University of Natal and practised at the Pietermaritzburg Bar starting in 1988. He was appointed Senior Counsel in 2006 and in November 2008 he was elevated to the bench as a judge of the KwaZulu-Natal High Court.

Following substantial stints as an acting judge of appeal from 2014, Gorven was permanently appointed to the SCA in July 2021. He officially retired from the Bench in April 2024.

Over the course of his judicial career, Gorven delivered 72 reported judgments, with 37 originating from the SCA. According to Cachalia, Gorven’s judgments have critically addressed public accountability, administrative justice, access to information, refugee rights and the exercise of public power.

During his tenure, Gorven presided over several high-profile and precedent-setting cases, including the Booysen v Acting National Director of Public Prosecutions & others.

This ruling set aside as irrational a decision by then-acting National Director of Public Prosecutions Nomgcobo Jiba to prosecute Booysen under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act.

South African History Archive Trust v South African Reserve Bank and Another is an SCA ruling that reviewed and set aside the Reserve Bank's refusal to provide access to records regarding apartheid-era procurement practices.

African Transformation Movement v Speaker of the National Assembly and Others is another notable case where the SCA set aside the Speaker's decision to refuse a secret ballot vote of no confidence in the President, ruling the decision irrational.

Beyond his rulings, Gorven has been a staunch advocate for legal education and civil society.

He served on the KwaZulu-Natal Bar Council, spent six years as a pupillage coordinator, and has conducted advocacy training both locally and internationally since 2005. He also participated in the University of Cape Town's Judicial Forum on Transformative Adjudication.

Before joining the bench, Gorven was a member of the National Association of Democratic Lawyers.

His extensive civil society footprint includes membership in the Pietermaritzburg Agency for Christian Social Awareness and a founding role in the joint YMCA task group for action against apartheid.

Furthermore, he was a founding director and treasurer of the Duzi uMngeni Conservation Trust from 2006 until July 2024, contributing heavily to the environmental protection of the Msunduzi and uMngeni rivers.

FUL says his experience across the judiciary, civil society, and legal education aligns directly with the organisation’s ongoing mission to promote the rule of law and protect constitutional integrity in South Africa.