Financial assessment hearing

You can apply for a hearing to find out more about how the debtor can pay the debt.

It is expected that you will be at the hearing but if you can’t be there the hearing can still go ahead. At the hearing a range of orders can be made by the court, including an attachment order.

To apply for a financial assessment hearing:

  • pay the filing fee
  • fill out the financial assessment hearing application form and post it to:

Postal address:
Ministry of Justice
Central Registry
SX10042
Wellington

Write the address as written above and send it the same way as any other mail. You can use an NZ Post mail box. If you use a DX mail box your mail will get to us faster(external link)

If the judgment debtor is a company, you should also include the name of a relevant officer of the company on your application. A relevant officer is a person who will be able to answer questions about the company’s ability to pay the debt (e.g. a Director).

If you do not know the name of a relevant officer, you can search for more information on the New Zealand Companies Register:

New Zealand Companies Register(external link)

Financial assessment hearing application form [PDF, 345 KB]

The court will issue a summons telling the debtor to come to the hearing. You can:

  • serve the summons yourself or
  • ask a bailiff to do it.

If you decide to serve the summons

The court will give you:

  • the summons and a financial statement
  • instructions on how to serve the summons
  • a form to record that you have served the document. You must fill it out and return it by email or post, even if you could not serve the summons.

If you serve the summons, you can claim up to $50 at the hearing for expenses. You can also do this if you have an agent serve the documents for you.

You can ask for bailiff service later on

If you cannot serve the summons, you can still ask a bailiff to do it.

Find out about bailiff service

Request for bailiff to serve summons form [PDF, 318 KB]

If the bailiff cannot find the debtor at the address you have given, you will need to provide a new address.

Find out how to provide a new address

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