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Two Bills introduced to Parliament recently will help further modernise court and tribunal services, enabling them to move with the times.
The Courts Matters Bill and the Tribunals Powers and Procedures Legislation Bill will amend 37 separate pieces of legislation, including the acts governing 21 tribunals.
Group Manager, Courts and Tribunals Regional Service Delivery, Jacquelyn Shannon says the proposed legislative changes open the way for the Ministry to further modernise services for our customers.
“It will give many of the tribunals we support a more standard set of powers and procedures, allowing us to streamline support and simplify administrative processes. This should help us resolve matters faster for our customers,” says Jacquelyn.
“Other changes proposed, like extending the powers of court security officers, to remove or deny entry or detain troublemakers, will also improve our customers’ experience.”
The two Bills are the latest in a programme of reforms to the legal framework that underpins the justice system, including the recent judicature modernisation legislation, the Criminal Procedure Act and changes to laws dealing with evidence and coroners.
All the changes share a clear theme of making the system easier to understand and use while upholding the law.