Court rules govern the way in which proceedings must be brought and dealt with. In the District Court and High Court, key rules include the District Court Rules 2014, High Court Rules 2016 and Criminal Procedure Rules 2012.
A number of the current rules are not suited to the digital processes envisaged by Te Au Reka. Changes to the rules are therefore required to enable Te Au Reka to be implemented in the District and High Courts.
At the beginning of August 2025, we sought input on areas of the court rules where changes may be required to enable the successful implementation of Te Au Reka in the District and High Courts. The engagement paper can be found here [PDF, 235 KB].
The paper covered rules within the scope of the Rules Committee. The Committee is a statutory body which is responsible for the rules of court procedure in the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, High Court and District Court.
The Ministry is now considering submissions and developing advice on proposed rule changes. Further consultation on proposed changes is expected in 2026.
For any queries about this work, please contact TeAuRekaPolicy@justice.govt.nz.
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