Where to file documents
You can file your application in the District Court:
- closest to the defendant’s home or place of business, if that is in New Zealand
- if the defendant does not live or carry on business in New Zealand (you can choose which District Court)
- closest to where the actions that led to the claim happened
- closest to where the property which the claim is about is located.
To make sure you file your documents in the correct place, refer to rule 5.1 of the District Court Rules(external link)
All subsequent applications must be filed at the same place (unless the matter is transferred to another District Court when you apply).
File a civil appeal in one of the following places:
- in the District Court closest to where the hearing of the matter being appealed took place or
- if there was no hearing, in the District Court closest to where the decision you are appealing was given or
- in any District Court that the parties (you and any other appellants or respondents) agree to (if you all agree that an appeal should be filed in a Registry other than the one designated above, a memorandum recording your agreement should be filed along with the notice of appeal).
If you are a defendant or a respondent (that is, you are defending a claim) you should file all your documents in the District Court where the plaintiff started the proceeding.
However, if you believe that the proceeding was filed in the wrong registry or that the registry of another court would be more appropriate you can apply to have the proceedings transferred to another registry.
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