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UPDATE 4 September: Courts and tribunals are operating differently at the moment. Please do not come to the courthouse if you are feeling unwell. Contact 0800 COURTS (0800 268 787) if you cannot enter the courthouse or are not sure whether to attend.
Protocols for how courts and tribunals will operate during COVID-19 Alert Level 2 have been released on the Courts of NZ website(external link).
Find contact details for a court or tribunal
We are following Ministry of Health guidelines to protect the health and safety of all court participants and staff. Please remember to use the NZ COVID Tracer app to scan the QR code upon entry, or sign in using the paper registration form.
Factsheet: Health and Safety measures during COVID-19 Alert Level 2 [PDF, 104 KB]
Jury trials in the Auckland region
The Chief Justice has announced jury trials in the Auckland region are resuming from Monday 7 September 2020. From Monday 7 September 2020, jurors are requested to attend in accordance with their summons or any later instructions from the Registry.
Arrangements are in place to keep jurors safe while Auckland remains at Alert Level 2 with extra restrictions.
Read the Chief Justice's media statement 3 September 2020 re the resumption of jury trials(external link)
All of New Zealand
Please attend on your scheduled date unless a Judge or Registrar has advised otherwise.
Entry into courthouses is limited to defendants, parties, witnesses, complainants, victims, and other stakeholders. Members of the public (including whānau/support person for a defendant) whose presence is not required at court may only attend if granted permission from the presiding Judge.
Public counters are generally open.
Use of face masks in court buildings
Face masks should be worn while in public areas of Auckland court buildings effective from 31 August until further notice. This applies to all court participants and staff to maintain health and safety standards. It is an additional precaution for everyone in the court building. Disposable masks are freely available from security at court entrances.
For the rest of New Zealand, face mask use is encouraged in court buildlings.
Judicial protocols have been updated to reflect this on the Courts of New Zealand website(external link).
Read the Chief Justice's media statement 28 August 2020 regarding masks in court.(external link)
In this section you will find:
Your first step should be to try to sort out the problem without going to court. This reduces the cost, saves time and avoids extra stress.
Cases are brought to the civil court by individuals or organisations and sometimes local or central government to help settle a dispute. Civil law cases are generally not about breaking a criminal law. Civil cases can include disputes over business contracts or debts, or disputes between neighbours, or debt recovery.
Most cases start when a statement of claim is filed. Find out more about the process for cases brought to the civil court.
The forms and fees required for civil cases.
New Zealand and Australia have an agreement to help make resolving civil disputes simpler, cheaper and more efficient when one party lives in the other country.
You can apply for a Restraining Order if you are being harassed by another person.
You can apply for a Non-Contact Order if you were the victim of a violent offence where the offender was sent to prison for more than 2 years and you don’t want them to contact you once they’re released.
Cyberbullying and other modern forms of harassment and intimidation can have a devastating impact on people, especially children and teenagers. Find out more about what you and the court can do.
The High and District Courts can make an order to restrict a person from starting or continuing to bring civil cases which are unwarranted or meritless.
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