Changes in the Courts in New Zealand

Litigation

From 1 March 2017 new legislation has brought about change in civil procedure. Our District Court, High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court are now all governed by new Acts.
Whilst the overarching legislation concerning our courts has been reorganised, the substantive changes within the legislation are less monumental.

A key change affecting many of our clients is an increase in District Court jurisdiction, increasing the monetary claim limit from $200,000 to $350,000. This offers an effective alternative to the High Court for higher value civil disputes.

Other changes include:

• Many section numbers within the statutes have been altered (rather than their substance), which is bound to keep lawyers on their toes.