4.3 Press sheets

As a media representative attending a criminal jurisdiction sitting of a District Court, you have access to press sheets, which detail the name, address, date of birth and occupation of the defendant and the charges laid against them. A press sheet will not provide you with any information on suppression orders, which may be granted subsequently.

Under the Ministry of Justice’s current processes, press sheets:

  • are not destroyed at the end of the day of first appearance
  • are distributed to the press bench or are made available to media on request
  • are stored for one month
  • are destroyed after one month from date of first appearance
  • are kept in a designated space known to both court staff and media.

A disclaimer has been provided to each court to be kept with the press sheets, explaining that:

  • press sheets are provided to media as a courtesy and are the property of the court
  • press sheets must not leave the courthouse
  • press sheets are available on the day of first appearance and are not reprinted if lost or damaged
  • Information on the press sheet may not be accurate after first appearance; charges may be mended or withdrawn since the date of first appearance and may not be updated on the press sheet.
  • You must check with court staff before publishing any work. Name and or detail suppression may have been granted.
  • Press sheets are only provided in relation to the first appearance of the defendant and are not provided for any subsequent appearances.

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