Ruth's work advocates for better legal recognition of diverse families and whānau within Aotearoa.
Qualifications & Memberships
Research Interests
Ruth joined the UC School of Law in September 2019 and specializes in child and family law. She has particular research interests in birth certificates, family violence, surrogacy, child poverty, relocation, paternity, intercountry adoption, and family finances. She is a passionate advocate for making family law more inclusive of diverse family and whānau structures within Aotearoa and upholding the rights of children.
Ruth is the author of the Family Law Student Companion (2nd ed), and has contributed to a variety of other publications, including the Feminist Judgments of Aotearoa New Zealand: Te Rino – A Two-Stranded Rope, Family Law in New Zealand (19th ed), and Family Law Policy in New Zealand (5th ed).
Recent Publications
- Ballantyne R. and Henaghan M. (2021) International child abduction, intercountry adoption, and international commercial surrogacy. In Eekelaar J; George R (Ed.), Routledge Handbook of Family Law and Policy (2nd ed.): 403-421. Oxon: Routledge.
- Henaghan M., Atkin B., Ballantyne R., Burnhill S., Caldwell J. and Swadling K. (2020) Family law in New Zealand. (19 ed.). Wellington: LexisNexis. 1423.
- Taylor N. and Ballantyne R. (2020) Protecting Children, Families, and Whānau from Family Violence. Family Law Policy in New Zealand (5 ed.): 99-147. Wellington: LexisNexis.
- Ballantyne R. and Henaghan M. (2018) “Nigel Lowe and International Family Law: An Immense Contribution”. In Douglas G; Murch M; Stephens V (Ed.), International and National Perspectives on Child and Family Law: Essays in Honour of Nigel Lowe: 247-258. Cambridge, UK: Intersentia. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/9781780687001.
- Ballantyne R. (2017) Caldwell v Caldwell [Relocation]. Feminist Judgments of Aotearoa New Zealand Te Rino: A Two-Stranded Rope: 211-221.Bloomsbury Publishing.