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About the Court Mō te Kōti-ā-Rohe o Aotearoa

  • The judicial branch of government

    The New Zealand system of government is based on the separation of powers between the Legislature, the Executive and the Judiciary. This separation provides checks…

  • The District Court judiciary

    On these pages you will find information about the District Court judiciary.

  • Day-to-day work of a District Court Judge

      A judge sitting in open court is largely how the public see justice being dispensed. However, the working day for a District Court Judge usually…

  • Judges review their year in work

    In 2019, a group of District Court Judges explored different aspects of law, their roles, and the experiences they bring to the bench. Please note that…

  • Judges talk about the law

    In 2018, judges of the District Court explored aspects and processes of the law that they interpret and apply.  Please note that the information in this…

  • Judges at work

    In 2017, individual District Court Judges explained their roles, and the diverse skills and experience they bring to the bench. Please note that the information in…

  • How District Court Judges make decisions

    The role of a judge is to make or facilitate decisions in accordance with New Zealand’s laws. In order to perform this role, a judge…

  • Judges and the wider community

    The role of judges is to serve the public. All judges do this by applying the law — which is made by the democratic legislature…

  • Useful links

    This page has links to information that may be useful if you are going to court, planning to file proceedings in the District Court, or…