- Relationship break up
- Separation & divorce
- Care of children
- About Family Court
- Family violence
- Relationship property
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UPDATE 12 March 2021: The whole of Aotearoa New Zealand is now at Alert Level 1. Please check the Courts of New Zealand website regularly for updated court protocols:
Courts of New Zealand - court protocols(external link)
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.
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We are following Ministry of Health guidelines to protect the health and safety of all court participants and staff. Follow the link above to court protocols for information applicable to your region, including requirements for wearing face coverings.
Court participants are strongly encouraged to download the NZ COVID Tracer app and scan the COVID-19 QR code using their mobile devices.
You can download the latest Health and Safety Factsheet from the top of our COVID-19 information page.
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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