Criminal Process Improvement Programme (CPIP)

CPIP is a judicially led, cross-agency effort to reduce backlog and improve timeliness in the criminal jurisdiction of the District Court, by establishing best practice in court procedure.

Complex court matters and processes involving various participants add to current workload pressures. To establish best practice in court processes, CPIP brings together representatives from the legal profession, Ngā Pirihimana O Aotearoa NZ Police, Ara Poutama Aotearoa Department of Corrections, experienced court managers, and the judiciary.

CPIP aims to make every court appearance more meaningful and effective, reducing unnecessary adjournments and delays that waste time and resources for all involved in the court process (judiciary, lawyers, police, corrections, defendants, complainants, victims, witnesses and their whānau). The approaches it fosters will better prepare parties for court and improve information available to each participant and the judiciary, helping cases to reach resolution earlier.

What does CPIP mean in practice?

CPIP is making improvements to all stages of the criminal court process in the District Court - admin, case review, trial, and sentencing.  See Diagram one below for what initiatives are happening in each stage.

Diagram one: CPIP by court stage

CPIP by court stage [JPG, 252 KB]

CPIP initiatives were initially introduced in the Ashburton, Christchurch, Hamilton, Huntly, Hutt Valley, Masterton, Morrinsville, Porirua, Te Awamutu, Te Kuiti, Thames, Timaru and Wellington District Courts in October 2022. Initiatives were implemented in the Auckland metropolitan area in June 2024.

CPIP initiatives continue to be rolled out nationally in 2025 to the remaining District Court sites.

Read more information for lawyers and service providers

CPIP interconnects with other District Court initiatives

CPIP supports the Chief District Court Judge’s Timely Access to Justice Protocol(external link) and is critical to ensuring the District Court has the capacity to implement the transformative change of the Te Ao Mārama programme.

The Timely Access to Justice Protocol provides that 90% of criminal District Court cases are to be disposed of within category-based thresholds by June 2027, and the following outcomes for those involved in the justice system:

• participants spend less time in the court system
• more meaningful court events
• participants are provided with timely information to make informed decisions
• participants have sufficient time to prepare and provide evidence and/or support resolutions.

For more information on CPIP contact: cpipprogramme@justice.govt.nz

 

This page was last updated: 11th June 2025