Media Guide for Reporting the Courts

Published by Ministry of Justice

These guidelines apply to all proceedings in all courts, unless otherwise stated.

Foreword

1. Introduction

2. Our court system

2.1 Supreme Court
2.2 Court of Appeal
2.3 High Court
2.4 District Courts
2.5 Maori Land Court
2.6 Environment Court
2.7 Employment Court
2.8 Coroners Court
2.9 Waitangi Tribunal
2.10 Other tribunals

3. Key participants for media in the court

3.1 Judges
3.2 Court registrar
3.3 Court manager
3.4 Court taker
3.5 Court reporter

4. Media in court

4.1 Media bench
4.2 Press sheets
4.3 Court lists
4.4 Courtroom courtesy
4.5 Filming, photographing and recording in court

Making an application
Response to an application
If someone objects
Judicial decisions

4.6 Other points to note when filming, photographing and recording in court

Sensitive cases
Witness protection
Additional discretionary witness protection
Name or detail suppression
Jurors and juries
Recording equipment
Courtroom sketches
Outside the courthouse

4.7 Filming and photographing in and around the court for other purposes

5. Courts with special media provisions

5.1 Supreme Court
5.2 Media coverage of Waitangi Tribunal proceedings
5.3 Coroners Court
5.4 Family Court

Accredited media provisions
Identification
In court
Restrictions on reporting and publication
Mixed proceedings
Court lists

5.5 Youth Court

Restrictions on reporting
Family Group Conferences
Identification

6. Access to court information

6.1 Court information v Ministry of Justice information
6.2 Searches and search rules
6.3 Written statements
6.4 Copies of judgments
6.5 Copies of convictions
6.6 Criminal Records (Clean Slate) Act 2004
6.7 Official Information Act 1982
6.8 Personal information
6.9 Fees

7. Courts with special rules concerning access to information

7.1 Maori Land Court
7.2 Environment Court
7.3 Coroners Court

8. Ministry of Justice media contacts

9. References

10. Appendices

Appendix One In-Court Media Coverage Guidelines 2003

Schedule 1 Application for In-Court Media Coverage
Schedule 2 Standard Conditions for Television Coverage
Schedule 3 Standard Conditions for Still Photographs
Schedule 4 Standard Conditions for Radio Coverage

Appendix Two Supreme Court Media Guidelines
Appendix Three Application for Media

Media Guide for Reporting the Courts [PDF - Adobe Acrobat v5 2149KB]

May 2007